JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysia has recorded 17.5 million users of the 5G services to date, covering over 82 per cent of the populated areas nationwide, according to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo. “The ministry, through Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), has provided and will continue to provide 5G infrastructure. The high number of users indicates a strong interest in this technology. …we would like to ensure that all infrastructure is secure, particularly in terms of cybersecurity and data usage,” he told reporters after officiating the Connected Industries Day: Transforming Manufacturing with 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) programme here today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Gobind also addressed the prospects of data centre development in the state, emphasizing that the government had not set any limits on their construction but would assess each investment’s suitability. “We will carefully review each application because in the future we not only want data centres but also AI-powered data centres. We al
so need to consider several factors including approvals for land and the required energy and water supply,” he elaborated.
Gobind further noted that by October 2024, ten data centres had already begun operations in Johor, with seven more in the development process. The state government is currently evaluating 36 applications for building such infrastructure. He mentioned that planning for areas dedicated to data centres, such as the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), aims to attract high technology investments and potentially generate substantial income for the people.
In another development, Gobind highlighted the ministry’s support for local universities establishing AI faculties to ensure a substantial future supply of skilled human capital in the field. “…the country will require a large talent pool and a workforce skilled in AI technology. The infrastructure is being built, and the country needs qualified individuals to operate it. For this purpose, we must ensure that the talent in Mala
ysia is developed to the highest level. AI faculties must be expanded to universities with the capacity to offer them,” he stated. Currently, only Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) offers this study field.
The establishment of UTM’s AI Faculty was inspired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the tabling of Budget 2024. In collaboration with the Higher Education Ministry, the faculty was set up four months after the tabling. On Nov 15, UTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Fauzi Ismail announced that the faculty had its first intake of 126 full-time students on Sept 29 this year.