Malaysia: Malaysia is advancing a holistic digital agenda centred on developing future-ready talent, strengthening digital governance, and fostering public trust as it showcases three flagship initiatives at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2026.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah stated that the initiatives - ASEAN 5G Skills Framework and Capacity Development Platform; MCMC's Five-Year Plan 2030; and the Sebenarnya.my Portal - reflect the country's commitment to building an inclusive, trusted, and future-ready digital ecosystem, while ensuring technological progress delivers meaningful benefits to society.
He highlighted that although the three initiatives address different aspects of digital development, they share a common goal of strengthening talent, governance, and trust to support Malaysia's long-term digital transformation. "The ASEAN 5G Skills Framework focuses on developing future-ready talent, MCMC's Five-Year Plan 2030 creates an enabling environment for sustainable digital transformation, while Sebenarnya.my strengthens trust and confidence in the digital information ecosystem," he elaborated during the Spotlight Session by WSIS Forum Strategic Partners in Geneva.
On the talent development front, Abdul Halim stated that Malaysia spearheaded the development of the ASEAN 5G Skills Framework through extensive consultations with ASEAN member states, industry players, academia, and international organisations. The framework identifies 50 critical job roles, 211 priority and power skills, and 12 high-priority skills gaps across key areas, including network infrastructure, cloud technologies, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data engineering, and digital services. "It is also designed to accommodate varying levels of digital maturity across ASEAN and other regions," he added.
Regarding governance, Abdul Halim explained that MCMC's Five-Year Plan 2030 serves as the country's strategic roadmap for digital transformation, focusing on expanding meaningful connectivity, strengthening digital trust, improving data governance, nurturing digital talent, and enabling responsible innovation. "The plan adopts a human-centred approach to ensure technological advancement is underpinned by strong governance, accountability, and public trust," he noted.
Meanwhile, Abdul Halim emphasized that the Sebenarnya.my portal has become an important pillar of Malaysia's digital trust ecosystem by providing timely access to verified information through collaboration with government agencies and relevant stakeholders. He reported that as of May 31 this year, the national fact-checking portal had recorded 439.6 million views, reflecting strong public confidence and reliance on the platform for verified information.
He reaffirmed that Malaysia remains committed to working closely with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and international partners to advance the WSIS vision of a more inclusive, connected, and trusted digital future. In line with that commitment, Malaysia is also seeking re-election to the ITU Council for the 2027-2030 term.