Zafrul: Invest in cloud infrastructure, adopt digital mindset
27 Jun 2024
Malaysian businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), should invest in cloud infrastructure and adopt a digital mindset to compete globally, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
He said the adoption of cloud technologies had led to improvements in productivity and creation of high-skilled jobs in the country.
“We have seen a surge in efficiency and innovation as industries leverage cloud-based solutions to streamline their operations, automate tasks and gain valuable insights from data,” he said at Google’s Cloud Day Malaysia yesterday.
For instance, the manufacturing sector is using cloud technologies to optimise supply chains, monitor equipment performance and enhance production efficiency.
Similarly, the healthcare industry is using them to manage electronic medical records and facilitate telemedicine services, among others.
Zafrul said these advancements not only boosted productivity through data-driven insights but also created job opportunities in fields such as data analytics, software development and cloud architecture.
On the cloud’s scalability and agility, he said it enabled homegrown startups to scale up and expand their business’ reach beyond Malaysia.
“Smaller enterprises can now leverage resources previously available only to larger corporations.”
Zafrul said Malaysia had started various projects to create 3,000 smart factories and establish Malaysia as a hub for generative artificial intelligence.
These projects will require a strong cloud-based enabler and this was where Google, as one of the global companies developing and promoting cutting-edge cloud-based technologies, could play a big role.
“Google is helping Malaysia realise key missions under its industrial transformation agenda, including helping businesses and industries tech up, automate, digitalise and robotise their operations.
“From the ministry’s perspective, the tech investments that we target and particularly favour are the ones that will promote inclusive socio-economic development.”
He said Google’s recent announcement of a US$2 billion data centre investment was a testament to Malaysia’s competitiveness, ease of doing business and growing importance as a regional hub for digital innovation.
“There are only 11 countries in the world where Google has data centre investments of this scale. Regardless of how Malaysia’s global competitiveness was ranked, which was based on a snapshot of time, the proof of the pudding is in the eating,” he added.
Cloud Day Malaysia saw 479 participants coming together to exchange ideas, forge new partnerships and experience first-hand the transformational potential of Cloud and AI technology.
At the event, companies such as AirAsia Move, Gamuda Bhd and Bank Muamalat showcased their involvement in AI innovation.
Source: NST
