KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is charting a path for stronger statistical systems across Asean as this will lead to more resilient economies.
As the Chair of key Asean statistical committees, Malaysia through its Statistics Department, has spearheaded efforts to enhance data quality, comparability and accessibility across the region, said the country’s chief statistician.
Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said empowering Asean nations with good statistical systems is fundamental to better governance and social well-being.
Under Malaysia’s pioneer status in census and data collection, Asean countries have expanded cooperation in developing methodologies for emerging areas such as the digital economy, environmental statistics and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he said in an interview.
He said due to Malaysia’s experience, particularly in real-time data initiatives and big data analytics, there is now a strong evidence-based decision and policy making foundation in the region.
“Our leadership is about sharing knowledge, technology and systems so that no country is left behind. A stronger Asean benefits us all,” Mohd Uzir said, adding that the future of statistics requires the integration of technology, massive data analytics and emerging digital innovations.
The department is already executing a structured roadmap to incorporate alternative data sources such as administrative records, geospatial information, mobile data and web-scraped content.
Describing the department’s Statistical Big Data Analytics programme as a milestone, he said, the effort has improved the timeliness and accuracy of statistics.
Insights have also been bolstered through the Real-Time Business Status system, which integrates live data feeds from the Companies Commission of Malaysia to enhance business statistics and economic forecasting.
The Malaysia Statistical Business Register has merged with national trade databases, Mohd Uzir said, adding that the department has also invested in a state-of-the-art Data Science Lab, equipped with advanced tools for analytics, data mining, modelling and visualisation.
Meanwhile, the new National Big Data Analytics Centre, he said, now serves as a national hub for the collection, management and dissemination of big data across multiple agencies and sectors.
Stressing that public trust is a priority, Mohd Uzir said the department is strengthening its data governance framework and quality assurance processes in line with international best practices.
