PETALING JAYA: The government has formed a national digital economy council which will help Putrajaya develop a vibrant digital economy ecosystem.
The council will be chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, with the economy ministry serving as the chief secretariat.
In a statement, economy minister Rafizi Ramli said the selection of the council members was done through an “open call”, with experts and professionals from various sectors offering themselves as candidates.
“Thousands of applicants were vetted after they responded to the ministry’s invitation for industry practitioners to join the government’s committee,” he said.
He said the council will be responsible for formulating policies, sharing expert advice, and guiding the implementation of relevant policies at all administrative levels and economic sectors.
It will also set the strategic direction and provide monitoring to make Malaysia a digitally-driven economy, he said.
Science, technology and innovation minister Chang Lih Kang, women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri, communications and digital minister Fahmi Fadzil, human resources minister V Sivakumar and Chief Secretary Zuki Ali will chair cluster committees within the council.
Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, higher education minister Khaled Nordin and education minister Fadhlina Sidek are also in the council, as their portfolios are linked to digital economy and fourth industrial revolution (IR4.0) initiatives.
The representative from the private sectors are:
- nanoSkunkWorkX Sdn Bhd chief technology officer Wan Wardatul Amani Wan Salim;
- Kembara Kapital co-founder Ridzwan Nordin;
- Inmagine Group CEO Warren Leow;
- Agmo Group founder and CEO Tan Aik Keong;
- eduCLaaS Sdn Bhd business transformation leader Abu Bakar Ngah;
- Data8 Sdn Bhd co-founder and CEO Rajifah Ramli;
- Sabah Net Sdn Bhd CEO Chin Kah Yi;
- SOLS Foundation founder and CEO Raj Ridvan Singh;
- OMIS Consulting Sdn Bhd CEO Lim Yee Mei;
- Islamic Development Bank global value chain head Faiz Shaul Hamid; and
- Independent adviser Jasbir Singh.
Economy ministry secretary-general Nor Azmie Diron, and Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu) director-general Rodzi Saad are ex-officio members.
Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) chairman Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Salim Fateh Din have also been appointed “agile members” of the council.