Malaysia and Indonesia are taking the lead in promoting digital transformation and sustainable development. The 3rd World Digital Economy and Technology Summit, hosted by the Kuala Lumpur-based independent think tank, KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific (KSI), was held in Jakarta. The summit aimed to explore the link between digital transformation and sustainable development [612c9e81].
During the summit, Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Digital, Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, emphasized the government's commitment to narrowing the digital gap and urged rapid digitalization and transformation. He highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure, digital skills development, and digital inclusion in driving sustainable economic growth. Malaysia aims for the digital economy to contribute approximately 25.5 percent to the country's GDP by the end of 2025. The Malaysian government's strategy for digital transformation consists of three pillars, including digital society and access to digital services. Malaysia's digital economy is expected to contribute 22 percent to the GDP by 2022. The e-commerce sector presents investment opportunities with a projected GMV of 13 billion US dollars in 2023. The Malaysian government plans to attract domestic and foreign investment and build high value-added technology companies. Malaysia has attracted big players in the data center industry, such as Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Alibaba, and Microsoft. The electronics sub-sector is important in Malaysia's manufacturing industry, contributing 4.9 percent to the GDP. Malaysia exported around 593 billion ringgit (126 billion US dollars) in electrical and electronic products in 2022. The Malaysian government aims for all public services to be electronic-based [6b841f0d] [612c9e81].
Indonesia's Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Sandiaga Uno, also addressed the summit and highlighted the opportunities in digital payments, cybersecurity, fintech, health tech, digital technology expansion, and sustainable innovations. He emphasized the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive digital transformation and sustainable development in Indonesia. Indonesia's digital economy value is estimated to be around 82 billion US dollars in 2023, projected to rise to 109 billion US dollars in 2025. The Indonesian government aims for the digital economy to contribute 20 percent to GDP by 2045. Indonesia lacks a specific ministry and official data on the value of its digital economy. The digital infrastructure, talent, and government electronic public services are key issues in Indonesia's digital economy journey. Cybersecurity is also an urgent issue [6b841f0d] [612c9e81].
The summit also featured the presentation of the World Digital Awards. Indonesia's Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister, Nadiem Anwar Makarim, received the World Outstanding Digital Icon Leadership Award. This recognition highlights his contributions to advancing digital innovation and leadership in Indonesia [612c9e81].
Kenya's creative and media sectors are experiencing significant growth due to advancements in digital technology and global connectivity. The rise of streaming platforms, social media, and digital content creators are driving this growth. The integration of technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to further revolutionize content creation and consumption. Leading economies like the USA and South Korea have made investments in digital infrastructure and incentives to support the creative sector. The signing of a financing agreement between Kenya and South Korea for the establishment of Kenya's Digital Media City at Konza Technopolis is a significant development. The Digital Media City will be a state-of-the-art hub for creative media companies, research institutions, and high-tech start-ups in the media and creative industries. It will support various productions, including film, photography, gaming, animation, and software development. The project aims to position Kenya as a global leader in the digital and creative industries and create job opportunities for the youth. The partnership between Kenya and South Korea is part of the Economic Innovation Partnership Program (EIPP) and builds on their longstanding cooperation in various sectors [3d1e6ee9].
The relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia has experienced dynamics, and the presence of digital technology is the latest dynamic for both countries [6b841f0d].