There was a time when receiving a telegram could change the course of a person’s life.
For Datuk Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, that moment came when he was still a student. A telegram from Telekom Malaysia Bhd
(TM) informed him that he had been awarded a scholarship to study overseas.
For his family, it was an opportunity that would otherwise have been beyond their means.
“I don’t think my family could afford to send me abroad then,” he recalls. Receiving that telegram, he says, remains one of his proudest moments.
Decades later, there is something almost circular about the story. The young man whose future was changed by a message delivered through TM is now leading the same institution as its managing director and group chief executive officer (GCEO).
More than two decades into his career with TM, Amar describes the journey as deeply fulfilling, not simply because of the positions he has held, but because of the organisation he has been part of.
“I’ve been blessed to be part of an institution that has grown very closely with the nation,” he says. That sentence perhaps captures the essence of TM better than any corporate description could.
For 80 years, TM has grown alongside Malaysia. Its history runs from telegrams and telephone exchanges to satellites, dial-up Internet, broadband and fibre.
Today, it is building data centres, cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
But beneath all those technological changes, Amar believes there has been one constant.
“The DNA of a nation builder.”
It is a description that takes on greater meaning when TM’s history is viewed against the country’s own development.
Connecting people
TM’s origins stretch back to 1946, more than a decade before Malaya achieved independence.
In those early years, telecommunications were a very different business. There were no smartphones, no social media and no broadband.
Communication meant telephones, telegrams and physical infrastructure that had to be painstakingly built across a geographically dispersed country.
But the importance of that infrastructure was already clear.
As Malaya developed, reliable communication became essential to businesses, government agencies and communities.
After independence, the challenge became even greater as the country sought to integrate its various regions and build a modern economy.
TM was there through that process.
The organisation expanded its networks across the peninsula and played an important role in connecting Sabah and Sarawak with Peninsular Malaysia.
It moved into satellite communications, helping broaden broadcasting across the country, while the Beserah Earth Station became one of the milestones in Malaysia’s telecommunications history.
For Amar, those moments are not simply corporate milestones. They are part of the country’s story.
“From the early days, we were connecting people,” he says. “Today, we are still connecting people.”
The means may have changed, but the purpose has not, he emphasises.
Malaysia moved from analogue communications to digital networks. TM moved with it, first through voice services, then dial-up Internet, broadband and high-speed fibre.
Today, its infrastructure stretches far beyond what most Malaysians see or interact with directly.
TM has more than 750,000km of fibre infrastructure throughout the country and more than 400,000km of submarine cable systems, with 39 submarine cable systems, connecting Malaysia to the world and the world, to Malaysia.
Much of this infrastructure is invisible, but critical.
That is perhaps the nature of nation-building infrastructure. People notice it when it is absent, but rarely when it works.
Amar himself describes TM as something of an “unsung hero”.
“Much of what TM does happens quietly in the background. But it is this infrastructure that helps keep people, businesses and communities connected in their daily lives.”
Orchestrating Malaysia’s digital ecosystem
TM’s role has evolved alongside Malaysia’s economy.
As it works towards its Digital Powerhouse 2030 aspiration, TM is expanding beyond connectivity to become the nation’s trusted digital ecosystem orchestrator, while positioning Malaysia as the digital hub for the region.
Amar says this evolution does not mean abandoning TM’s traditional business, but building on the infrastructure and capabilities it has developed over decades.
“We are strengthening what we have today while investing for the future,” he says.
Connectivity remains the foundation. Data centres, cloud services and AI all depend on fast, secure and resilient networks.
Building on this foundation, TM is investing in new growth areas such as sustainably developed, high-capacity data centres, nationally hosted cloud services, cybersecurity, GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), smart services and other digital capabilities, such as AI.
These capabilities allow enterprises, government agencies and technology companies to access secure and scalable digital infrastructure without having to build and manage it themselves. By enabling critical data and workloads to be hosted securely within the country, they also strengthen Malaysia’s digital sovereignty and resilience.
By bringing its capabilities together with solutions from ecosystem partners, TM provides a platform on which others can build. Amar likens it to a stage: TM builds the stage, but the performers need not be TM.
They can be Malaysian businesses, multinational companies, government agencies or entrepreneurs.
For a small business, this could mean accessing digital tools without investing in its own infrastructure. For a global technology company, it could mean using Malaysia as a secure and well-connected base for regional operations.
TM’s role in Malaysia’s 5G ecosystem demonstrates the continuing importance of its connectivity foundation.
Although TM is not one of the country’s two 5G network operators, it provides mobile 5G backhaul that supports both networks by connecting radio access sites to their respective core networks through high-capacity fibre.
TM also offers 5G services to consumers through Unifi Mobile, alongside enterprise 5G solutions for businesses and government agencies.
“We are proud to play a role in enabling 5G for the country.”
AI is another area where TM is building on its existing strengths. The company has long used machine learning and deep learning to improve the efficiency and reliability of its network.
It is now developing an internal large language model, establishing an AI centre of excellence and expanding its AI Foundry to accelerate AI adoption and enhance productivity across its workforce.
TM is also extending its AI capabilities to enterprises and government agencies through Vision AI, GPUaaS, Smart Cities and other sector-specific AI solutions for utilities, tourism, manufacturing and automotive.
Amar also believes AI will reshape work and create demand for new skills rather than simply replace jobs. TM’s priority, he says, is to equip its employees with the training and tools needed to use the technology effectively.
Beyond its own workforce, TM’s digital foundation is also creating opportunities for communities beyond Malaysia’s major urban centres.
Taking the digital economy to an island
Pulau Tioman provides one of the clearest examples. Through Jangkau Digital TM, the company is bringing together digital infrastructure, economic empowerment, education and environmental stewardship to help the island’s communities participate more fully in the digital economy.
The initiative began in Kampung Mukut, with the ambition of transforming it into Malaysia’s first Smart Eco-Village, and is now being expanded in phases across Tioman.
Connectivity provides the foundation. In collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), TM deployed a 75km submarine cable from Kuala Rompin, linking Tioman to the national digital network. This has enabled the expansion of fibre connectivity, alongside mobile coverage in key community areas.
With this digital foundation in place, the focus is on helping Tioman’s communities turn improved access into meaningful opportunities.
Creating opportunities across Tioman
One of the most immediate benefits is for local entrepreneurs. In Mukut, homestay operators, boat service providers and nature guides can promote their services and manage bookings online through visitmukut.com, which is integrated with Unifi Business Go Bookit.
Across Tioman, TM’s MSME Digital Empowerment workshops are also equipping entrepreneurs with digital marketing, content creation and online business skills, helping them attract more customers, expand their markets and strengthen household incomes.
Education is another focus. Through its social impact foundation, Yayasan TM, the company has adopted all four schools on the island under the TM Future Skills (TMFS) programme. Students are gaining exposure to coding, robotics, 3D printing and AI, while teachers are equipped to incorporate STEM and digital tools into their lessons.
Opportunities also extend beyond the classroom. Tioman has a strong sailing tradition, which TM supports through equipment, coach training and talent development. This gives students the chance to discover and develop their potential in the sport. Over time, TM hopes to nurture students who may one day represent Malaysia at major competitions such as the SEA Games.
Together, these efforts are creating more inclusive and sustainable opportunities for Tioman’s communities.
Nation-building in many forms
Across Malaysia, TM’s nation-building role reflects a greater purpose: ensuring that the country’s digital progress is inclusive and creates meaningful opportunities for people and communities.
Connectivity provides access, but meaningful inclusion depends on what people can do with it. This means equipping Malaysians with the skills, tools and opportunities to improve their lives, participate in the digital economy and contribute to the nation’s future.
This begins in schools. Through TMFS, TM has adopted 35 schools nationwide, introducing students, particularly those in remote and underserved communities, to coding, robotics, 3D printing and AI.
Beyond learning how to use technology, students are encouraged to see themselves as future creators, innovators and problem-solvers with a role to play in Malaysia’s digital future.
At the tertiary level, TM supports both academic and technical pathways. Multimedia University (MMU), its education arm, nurtures talent in AI, engineering and emerging technologies through industry-aligned programmes and its new Faculty of AI and Engineering.
The Yayasan TM TVET Madani programme, launched in 2024, strengthens the connection between technical education and industry at the tertiary level, with a focus on fibre and digital technologies.
Through industry-based curricula, digital lab modernisation and industrial training, the programme helps students translate their knowledge into skills valued by employers.
Supported by Yayasan TM scholarships, the programme has benefitted nearly 1,000 students, with more than 60% of its participants in 2025 securing industrial training placements within the TM ecosystem.
These efforts form part of TM’s broader commitment to widening access to education. Since 1994, Yayasan TM has invested more than RM670mil in scholarships and supported close to 20,000 talents, many of whom have gone on to contribute across Malaysia’s digital economy and national institutions.
Digital inclusion must also reach those already working to build better livelihoods.
Through Usahawan Digital TM, more than 2,000 B40 entrepreneurs identified through the eKasih database are being equipped with practical skills in digital marketing, live selling and AI-powered content creation.
Among them, Karman Karim, a tour operator from Sabah reached more than 21,000 potential customers and increased sales by 40% through a digital campaign.
Meanwhile, in Kelantan, Shamsidah Abd Rahman, a home-based entrepreneur recorded nearly 450,000 impressions and sales growth of her food products exceeding 200%. Both achieved these results in under six months.
Their successes shows how digital skills can open new markets and build stronger, more resilient livelihoods even for small businesses.
TM’s wider nation-building purpose also recognises that participation and potential take many forms.
As the official partner of the Persekutuan Sepaktakraw Malaysia (PSM), TM supports the national men’s and women’s teams at major regional and international tournaments.
It also contributes to grassroots talent development through programmes such as the National Sepak Takraw Development Programme and Kursus Latihan Asas Sukan Sepak Takraw.
At Akademi Sepaktakraw Malaysia, TM serves as the official technology partner and exclusive connectivity provider, providing high-speed broadband to support daily operations, athlete needs and live matches.
The academy itself provides a structured pathway for developing talent from grassroots to elite levels.
“Sepak takraw is deeply rooted in our heritage and continues to unite Malaysians through a shared sense of pride. We are proud to support its growth and strengthen Malaysia’s presence on the global stage,” Amar says.
Under a naming rights collaboration with Perbadanan Stadium Malaysia, Stadium Nasional and Stadium Putra in Bukit Jalil have been rebranded as TM Stadium Nasional and Unifi Arena, respectively.
These iconic venues have long brought Malaysians together to cheer, celebrate and witness historic achievements.
Through this collaboration, TM supports the venues’ long-term sustainability and continued enhancement, helping them remain as vibrant gathering places that unite Malaysians and inspire national pride for generations to come.
Inclusion also means ensuring that different talents and voices are recognised.
Through “Helo Malaysia”, TM brought together the music of neurodivergent Malaysian rock band ZIMI’J and the creative expressions of children from Early Autism Project Malaysia as part of a shared national celebration.
These are among the quieter measures of nation-building – not simply how far an institution has come, but how many people it has helped move forward.
What will TM’s centenary mean?
When Amar looks towards TM’s centenary, perhaps the most interesting question is not what technology the company will be using by then. It is what Malaysians will remember.
He does not expect TM to become a company that constantly seeks recognition for every contribution it makes. After all, much of the company’s work is infrastructure that most people never see.
Instead, he hopes Malaysians will recognise the role TM has played in the country’s development over the years.
“We wanted to ensure that Malaysia knows we endeavour to provide a platform for the future that is trusted, resilient and robust,” he says.
That platform is now much bigger than a telephone network.
It includes the fibre running beneath Malaysian roads, submarine cables crossing the seas, data centres supporting businesses, digital tools used by entrepreneurs, classrooms equipped with robotics and coding equipment, and rural communities being given a chance to participate in the digital economy.
It also includes something less tangible: the belief that progress should be shared. That is perhaps why Amar’s own story makes such an appropriate starting point for TM’s next chapter.
A young Malaysian once received a telegram from the company and was given an opportunity to see a world that his family could not otherwise have afforded to show him.
Today, the head of that company is thinking about how to give the next generation the same opportunity, not necessarily through a telegram or even a scholarship, but through access to education, technology, skills and markets.
“The underlying idea remains much the same: connect people, create opportunities and ensure that as Malaysia moves forward, no communities are left behind,” said Amar.
That, ultimately, may be the most enduring measure of a nation builder.
