Gearing up for Malaysia’s digital future
10 Jun 2022
GUIDED by its mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more, Microsoft is committed to supporting Malaysia’s inclusive economic growth.
For nearly 30 years in Malaysia, Microsoft continues to be the trusted partner and adviser working with both the public and private sectors to accelerate digital transformation and build resilience for all.
In its efforts to empower Malaysian organisations to flourish in the digital era, the tech giant launched the Bersama Malaysia (Together with Malaysia) initiative last year that outlined its plans to establish Microsoft’s first data centre region in the country and a commitment to skill an additional one million Malaysians by the end of 2023, as well as collaborate on cloud-first and digital-native policies via the MyDigital Alliance Leadership Council.
Microsoft Malaysia’s small, medium and corporate (SMC) group general manager Datin Lim Bee Wah said a report by IDC revealed that this investment in Malaysia will help generate up to US$4.6bil (RM20.22bil) in new revenues for the country’s ecosystem of local partners and cloud-consuming customers over the next four years.
“Additionally, the research estimates Microsoft, its partners and cloud-using customers will together contribute more than 19,000 new direct and indirect jobs.”
This reinforces Microsoft’s commitment to empower the nation’s inclusive digital economy and advance its digital transformation across private and public sectors.
Though it won’t be an easy feat, Lim said they are determined to build digital resilience, bridge digital opportunities, bolster a competitive digital workforce and enhance employability through transformative policies for education and skilling of Malaysians.
“Microsoft wants to equip every Malaysian with equal opportunities to advance human and organisational achievement.
“We have been engaging and working closely with partners to expand our reach throughout the country to equip communities – including the rural, underserved – and businesses with future-ready skills.”
Championing growth
To ensure that no one is left behind, collaboration is key to providing easy, convenient and affordable digital access to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), small local businesses, up to multinational companies nationwide, said Lim, adding that partnerships empower businesses to be more resilient and secure in the new hybrid work environments while enhancing business productivity.
“We have various initiatives in place to help SMEs thrive in the digital era. Among them includes our collaboration with Celcom Axiata Bhd to offer Celcom Cloud Suite, a cloud solution for enterprises that offers a more personalised experience for business users.
“We are working with Maxis to empower businesses to be more connected, mobile and productive in the new hybrid world of work via Maxis Digital Workspace – the first all-inclusive managed laptop solution in Malaysia.”
She added that Microsoft is also in partnership with Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s (TM) Unifi, offering various Microsoft 365 plans to suit various business needs via TM’s Internet plans.
“Microsoft has also introduced the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub in Asia to empower startups’ ambitions and fuel innovation to drive economic and societal progress in Malaysia and beyond.
“Through the platform, startup founders will have access to the support and tools they need – including technology, our partners network, as well as mentorship and upskilling opportunities,” she said.
Digital realisation
Help is always available for those who seek it, said Lim, adding that Microsoft and its partners have teams of dedicated professionals constantly on standby to facilitate, engage and empower SMEs throughout their entire digital growth journey.
“We offer the most suitable solutions based on the needs of each business to help them realise the benefits of technology for their resilient and long-term business growth.”
Citing digital health app Doctor2U and BASSnet software suite as success stories, Lim shared that Doctor2U – built on Microsoft Azure and uses Microsoft’s bot framework for their Live Chat feature that allows users to chat with doctors, pharmacists and nutritionists for free – helped Doctor2U harness data insights and deliver more effective treatment plans for patients.
“Meanwhile, BASSnet was able to serve over 100 fleet owners including world leading shipping companies, supported multiple organisations in streamlining their operational processes and adopt better environmentally sustainable practices.”
A firm believer that everyone should reap benefits from technology, Lim urged SMEs which have not invested in technology to do so immediately.
“Technology is far more accessible and affordable than it was before. SMEs need to look into these opportunities and tap into the abundance of solutions available,” she said.
Source: The Star
