SALUTATIONS
1. His Excellency Jam Kamal Khan
Federal Minister for Commerce, Pakistan
2. Yang Berbahagia Tuan Fabian Bigar
Secretary General, Ministry of Digital
3. Mr Rafiq Ahmad Buriro
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication, Pakistan
4. Mr Sajjad Mustafa Syed
Chairman, Pakistan IT Industry Association (P@SHA)
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Salam Perpaduan, Salam Malaysia MADANI and a very good Afternoon.
1. It is a privilege to be here at the Pakistan-Malaysia TechConnect 2025 conference today. Malaysia and Pakistan enjoy a long history of friendship and cooperation, and today we meet at an important juncture: as both our nations seek to harness innovation and digitalisation as engines of future growth.
GLOBAL AND REGIONAL CONTEXT
2. We are living in an era of accelerating digital change. From cloud computing and artificial intelligence to digital trade and smart manufacturing, technology is not only redefining economies — it is redrawing the maps of opportunity, especially for the Global South.
3. For Southeast Asia and South Asia alike, this is a moment of promise. With young, dynamic populations, vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems, and fast-growing digital consumer bases, our regions are natural growth frontiers. The question before us is how we, as partners, can seize these opportunities together.
MALAYSIA’S DIGITAL MOMENTUM
4. Allow me to share Malaysia’s own trajectory. In the second quarter of this year, digital investments under our Malaysia Digital (MD) initiative surged 125% quarter-on-quarter, reaching nearly RM 29.47 billion (USD 6.99 billion).
5. In the first half of this year, 261 companies approved under MD have committed more than RM 42.58 billion (USD 10.1 billion), with the potential to create 17,495 knowledge-worker jobs over the next five years.
6. Key sectors driving this growth include data centres, AI, and global business services — high-growth areas where Malaysia is positioning itself as a regional hub of excellence.
7. These figures are not only about infrastructure and technology, but also about investor confidence in Malaysia as a stable, predictable, and forward-looking destination for digital innovation.
MALAYSIA AS A TRUSTED PARTNER
Ladies and Gentlemen,
8. Malaysia’s story as a digital nation rests on three pillars: digital infrastructure, digital trust, and people.
9. First, infrastructure. Malaysia is rapidly emerging as ASEAN’s data centre hub. By 2035, we are projected to host two-thirds of the region’s data centre capacity — a position underpinned by reliable 5G coverage, advanced cloud connectivity, and a growing ecosystem of hyperscale and regional players. This digital backbone ensures that businesses operating in Malaysia have the speed, resilience, and scalability to compete globally.
10. Second, digital trust. We recognise that innovation must be underpinned by trust. That is why Malaysia has enacted the Cyber Security Act 2024, to safeguard critical infrastructure, and amended the Personal Data Protection Act to mandate data breach notifications and the appointment of Data Protection Officers. We have also introduced a National Cloud Computing Policy and are drafting a Digital Trust and Data Security Strategy, which will strengthen Malaysia’s cyber resilience posture.
11. Institutions matter as much as policies. The National AI Office (NAIO), launched last year, is tasked with coordinating Malaysia’s AI strategy across sectors. The forthcoming National Data Commission will provide oversight on data governance, ensuring trusted data flows and the protection of digital rights. Complementing this is the creation of a National Data Bank — a repository of high-quality, interoperable datasets that can power research, innovation, and AI applications.
12. Third, our people. Technology is only as strong as the talent behind it. Through initiatives such as Rakyat Digital, more than 1.4 million Malaysians have gained training and certification in areas like AI, blockchain, cloud, and cybersecurity. At the same time, the National AI Office (NAIO) is working closely with industry partners to deepen Malaysia’s AI capabilities. A good example is our collaboration with Microsoft, which aims to train 800,000 Malaysians in AI skills, ensuring that our workforce is not only future-ready but globally competitive.
13. Together, these three pillars are not just about keeping pace with change — they are about setting Malaysia apart as a trusted, future-ready digital economy at the heart of ASEAN.
14. And central to this vision is artificial intelligence. In our 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13), AI is recognised as a strategic enabler of national growth. Our forthcoming National AI Action Plan 2026-2030 will chart our course towards an AI ecosystem that is both responsible and globally competitive.
15. This integrated approach — infrastructure, regulation, and talent, all aligned with long-term planning — is why Malaysia has become a natural partner for investment, and a leader among ASEAN digital economies.
AREAS OF SYNERGY WITH PAKISTAN 16. Against this backdrop, we see strong complementarities with Pakistan.
A. Both our countries have large, youthful populations, eager to participate in the digital economy.
B. Both are nurturing vibrant start-up ecosystems, with entrepreneurs creating solutions in fintech, agritech, healthtech, and e-commerce.
C. And both are investing in digital infrastructure and talent development, to anchor future innovation.
17. These shared strengths open doors for deeper collaboration — whether in technology partnerships, investment linkages, or knowledge exchange.
18. Malaysia welcomes opportunities to explore these synergies further, and to learn from Pakistan’s own experiences and innovations.
ASEAN-PAKISTAN RELATIONS
Ladies and Gentlemen,
19. As we look beyond the bilateral relationship, it is equally important to situate this dialogue in the wider context of ASEAN-Pakistan cooperation.
20. Malaysia is not only a partner in its own right; we are also a gateway to ASEAN — a region of nearly 700 million people, 460 million of whom are digital consumers. ASEAN is today one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the world, with a projected digital economy value of up to USD 2 trillion by 2030.
21. Pakistan has been part of this story for more than three decades. Since 1993, when ASEAN and Pakistan formalised their sectoral dialogue partnership, our relationship has expanded steadily. What began with traditional areas of economic and political cooperation has now grown into new frontiers such as the digital economy, ICT, and cybersecurity.
22. This evolution reflects the realities of our time: digital transformation is no longer a niche issue, but a driver of competitiveness, resilience, and security.
23. As ASEAN and Pakistan deepen ties, Malaysia — as ASEAN chair — stands ready to play a bridging role. Whether it is facilitating digital trade, enabling trusted data flows, or fostering innovation partnerships, Malaysia can help connect Pakistan more closely to ASEAN’s dynamic growth story.
CLOSING VISION
Ladies and Gentlemen,
24. The story of Malaysia and Pakistan has always been one of friendship and solidarity. Today, we have the opportunity to write a new chapter in that story — one defined by digital innovation, sustainable growth, and shared prosperity.
25. Malaysia stands ready to work with Pakistan in exploring how our two nations can advance this vision together.
26. Today, I wish to reaffirm that Malaysia is digital-ready, anchored in trust, and open for business.
Thank You. #END#
