Covid-19 accelerated growth of Malaysia's digital economy, says PM at Asean meeting

KUALA LUMPUR: Rapid changes due to the global Covid-19 pandemic has sped up the nation's digitisation, says Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

"I can say for sure that the pandemic has accelerated the growth of digital economy in Malaysia.

"Things have changed drastically on a daily and, sometimes, on an hourly basis," he said in his keynote address at the opening of the inaugural Asean Digital Ministers Meeting (ADGMIN1) held here on Thursday (Jan 21).

In this backdrop, he said the government has identified the digital economy as one of the key economic growth areas.

“We will drive forward the promise of shared prosperity for all, by focusing on empowering Malaysians with digital skills, enabling digitally-powered businesses and driving digital investments,” he said.

He also noted that the pandemic had forced Asean member states to look towards digitisation.

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"It may not be an overstatement, I believe, to say that the Covid-19 pandemic has given the Asean member states the unanticipated nudge to move faster down the digital road," he said.

In this regard, he said it is crucial for Asean members to work more closely to ensure the region's development as a digital economic bloc.

Malaysia hosted the ADGMIN1 which will coordinate the development of the Asean Digital Masterplan 2025 (ADM2025).

The masterplan aims to guide the development of the Asean digital sector over the next five years.