Govt aims to create 500,000 digital economy jobs by 2025

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is aiming to provide half a million jobs in the digital economy by 2025, with the sector expected to contribute 22.6% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) at the same time, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Prime Minister said the government was also targeting a 30% increase in the level of productivity of the economic sector by 2030 through the digital economy.

These are among the targets of the MyDigital initiative, which includes the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint that will be implemented in three phases from now until 2030.

He said the initiative aimed to improve the lives of all Malaysians in all aspects and would complement national development policies such as the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and the Vision for Shared Prosperity 2030 (WKB 2030).

“Among others, it includes ideas and plans to improve digital literacy, creates high-income jobs, makes banking and finance business easier and more organised, provides virtual educational access to our children, and brings medical facilities to remote towns.

“It also serves as a digital transformation direction plan that is able to drive the business sector to compete on the global arena by enhancing expediency and efficiency of their operations, ” Muhyiddin said at the launch of the blueprint yesterday.

He said the government also encouraged 875,000 micro, small and medium enterprises to accept the use of e-commerce.

These initiatives, he said, would also serve as catalysts for 5,000 start-ups to begin their operations in the next five years.

“These initiatives will be the starting point to attract new investments worth RM70bil in the digital sector, from within and outside the country, ” Muhyiddin said, adding that all public sector agencies were aiming to provide cashless transaction facilities as the main option by 2022.

He said the government would strengthen the digital ecosystem through various ways, including creating a regulatory environment that could support mass digital use while protecting the privacy of citizens.

“Therefore, we will ensure digital companies involved with the government will work hard to help Malaysians improve their digital skills.

“These companies, among others, will also collaborate with local universities to establish the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, and to work with the government to carry out employees’ skills improvement programmes, ” he said.

He added that cyber and data security were among the government’s main focus in realising the vision for a nation of digital technology.

Muhyiddin said public data would be handled carefully based on security standards set by the government through the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA).

“The government is very committed to monitoring the soundness and integrity of data management systems to avoid any cyber threats, ” he said.