Malaysia is urging the manufacturing sector to quickly adopt 5G and cutting-edge technologies such as industrial robots and automation in its operations to remain relevant and competitive. However, it needs reliable, secure and fast 5G infrastructure to enable digital transformation.
Mr Chew said that industry adoption is “not a one-player show”.
“It definitely needs to be collaborated with mobile network operators, with industry players, the system integrator, the vendors, etc. All have to come together to realise this goal,” he added.
During another industry workshop held in Kuala Lumpur on May 3, Malaysia’s Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said implementation is key when it comes to 5G.
“We have technology – if adopted, (it) can transform the system and increase profitability. We have a network that’s efficient. The question now is whether there’s enough enterprise solutions and there’s enough adoption,” he said.
LOWER THE ENTRY POINT, SAYS EXPERT
To speed up 5G adoption, industry experts said Malaysia can look at how 5G roll-outs worked out in other advanced economies such as China.
Mr David Morrison, director of Huawei Technologies’ chief transformation office, said the entry point should be lowered to get people to buy into the network.
“Don’t charge CapEx (capital expenditures) which SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) can’t afford,” he added.
“Charge OpEx (operating expenses) which they can afford. They get locked in for a period to ensure there’s a pay back. Once they start doing that, then it will explode like it has in China, South Korea and Japan everywhere else.”
Ericsson Malaysia president and CEO David Hagerbro said it remains important to use investments in a wise fashion.
“For sure, the digital highways are there, but the real value of these highways will only be realised when you use these highways,” he added.
