Digital Ministry developing Malaysia into a smart nation
GEORGE TOWN: The Digital Ministry is working towards developing Malaysia into a smart nation equipped with comprehensive digital infrastructure, said its minister Gobind Singh Deo.
He said one of the main pillars in building a smart nation is to ensure that every state has smart city initiatives, with the ministry offering full support for these efforts.
'In addition to Penang, the Federal Territories, Johor, and Sarawak are also developing smart cities, and the ministry is monitoring these efforts to create a smart nation. We also hold meetings with state executive councillors every six months to provide input and updates on each state's progress.
'This is also to explore how collaborations can be enhanced to ensure continuous advancement,' he told reporters after making a working visit to the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) Smart Operation Centre at Komtar here today. Also present was Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran.
Gobind further said that his ministry is responsible for ensuring that Malaysia's digital infrastructure is sufficient and capable of holistically supporting future technological needs so that no area is left behind in the digitalisation wave.
He added, 'We want to build a smart nation... One of the key pillars of this development is ensuring that every state has a smart city initiative. With the emergence of new technologies, we will see even more advanced innovations moving forward.'
Meanwhile, Gobind said Penang is edging closer to becoming Malaysia's first artificial intelligence (AI) city as various smart technologies are being integrated into urban administration and infrastructure.
He noted that the use of AI technologies not only accelerates urban modernisation but also improves productivity, service efficiency, and the quality of life for the people through technology-driven solutions.
Among the key projects implemented is an AI-based smart traffic management system designed to optimise traffic flow and reduce congestion in the city.
According to Gobind, today's visit forms part of the preparations for the Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025 (SCEKL 2025), which will be held from September 17 to 19 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, jointly organised by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB).
On another matter, he urged all state governments to enact legislation similar to the Data Sharing Act 2024, which comes into effect today, to expand data-sharing initiatives nationwide.
He said the Act enables data sharing among federal government agencies and paves the way for a broader data-sharing ecosystem involving the federal, state governments, and local authorities (PBT).
The Act, he said, passed in Parliament last December, marks a major milestone as it establishes, for the first time, a legal mechanism for data sharing between departments and agencies at the federal level.
Gobind said that for now, the Data Sharing Act 2024 applies only to ministries and federal agencies and does not yet involve state governments or PBTs but if all federal and state agencies adopt a uniform mechanism, it will create a strong national data ecosystem.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
12 hours ago
- The Star
Eco-friendly smart toilet debuts at Penang's Cecil Street Market
GEORGE TOWN: The newly built smart toilet in Penang is leading the way in eco-friendly innovation, utilising solar-powered lighting and rain-harvested water. The Cecil Street Market toilet received a full makeover offering a high-tech experience with motion sensors and safety features. Penang Island City Council mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said the upgraded toilet was an important step forward in addressing the standard of facilities at locations like local markets. "It is solar-powered and has motion sensors while the water supply comes from harvested rainwater. "There is a screen with data display to indicate air quality, availability (vacancy of toilets) and the number of visitors. "There is an occupant indicator light as well as a panic alarm in case of an emergency," he said during the official opening ceremony at the market here on Sunday (June 8). Rajendran said this was the first of three toilets that would be upgraded to smart toilets in the state this year. "This took five months to complete at a cost of RM462,050. "There are 11 cubicles (six in the women's toilets, four in the men's toilets and one toilet for the disabled). "There is a private feeding room for babies as well," he said. Present during the ceremony were Tanjong MP Lim Hui Ying, state local government and town and country planning committee chairman H'ng Mooi Lye and Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Wong Yuee Harng.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
Housing discount for Indian Muslims won't affect Bumiputera quota
GEORGE TOWN: The offer of a five per cent discount for first-time homebuyers from the Indian Muslim community in Penang does not involve units under the Bumiputera quota and does not affect any existing home ownership policies, said state executive councillor Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo. Sundarajoo, who is in charge of housing and environment, said the initiative is part of efforts to expand home ownership opportunities in the open market, particularly for groups with low participation rates, without affecting the rights of other communities. "This discount is being offered as a form of corporate social responsibility by developers and does not involve any financial support or subsidy from the state government. "The state government would like to emphasise that all existing housing policies, including the Bumiputera quota and various incentives for first-time homebuyers, remain intact and will continue to be enforced," he said in a statement today in response to criticism from several quarters regarding the discount. Last Thursday, Sundarajoo announced a five per cent discount incentive for the Indian Muslim community for the purchase of residential and commercial units under the Madani Home Ownership Campaign (MOC), which is effective from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. Other initiatives include the introduction of a special housing category, Rumah MutiaraKu Type D (RMKu D), with a maximum price of RM400,000, and a reduction in contribution rates for developers who do not physically build RMKu Type A or B units — from RM120,000 to RM100,000 in areas under the Penang Island City Council, and from RM120,000 to RM72,500 under the Seberang Perai City Council. Sundarajoo said the five per cent discount is an additional measure complementing various existing programmes already in place to meet housing needs in the state. He said that it is an intervention to help reinvigorate the property sector following discussions and consensus among housing industry stakeholders, taking into account the growing concern over the oversupply of non-affordable units in Penang. "According to the Q4 2024 Penang State Property Market Report issued by the National Property Information Centre, 2,796 residential units were identified as overhang, involving various types of properties across the state," he said. In addition to improving housing accessibility, he said the initiative also aims to revitalise the property sector affected by rising construction and labour costs, in line with the state government's aspiration to achieve more balanced, sustainable and inclusive development in Penang.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
Housing discount for Indian Muslims won't affect bumiputera quota
JOHOR BAHRU: The offer of a five per cent discount for first-time homebuyers from the Indian Muslim community in Penang does not involve units under the Bumiputera quota and does not affect any existing home ownership policies, said state executive councillor Datuk Seri S. Sundarajoo. Sundarajoo, who is in charge of housing and environment, said the initiative is part of efforts to expand home ownership opportunities in the open market, particularly for groups with low participation rates, without affecting the rights of other communities. 'This discount is being offered as a form of corporate social responsibility by developers and does not involve any financial support or subsidy from the state government. 'The state government would like to emphasise that all existing housing policies, including the Bumiputera quota and various incentives for first-time homebuyers, remain intact and will continue to be enforced,' he said in a statement today in response to criticism from several quarters regarding the discount. Last Thursday, Sundarajoo announced a five per cent discount incentive for the Indian Muslim community for the purchase of residential and commercial units under the MADANI Home Ownership Campaign (MOC), which is effective from June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. Other initiatives include the introduction of a special housing category, Rumah MutiaraKu Type D (RMKu D), with a maximum price of RM400,000, and a reduction in contribution rates for developers who do not physically build RMKu Type A or B units — from RM120,000 to RM100,000 in areas under the Penang Island City Council, and from RM120,000 to RM72,500 under the Seberang Perai City Council. Sundarajoo said the five per cent discount is an additional measure complementing various existing programmes already in place to meet housing needs in the state. He explained that it is an intervention to help reinvigorate the property sector following discussions and consensus among housing industry stakeholders, taking into account the growing concern over the oversupply of non-affordable units in Penang. 'According to the Q4 2024 Penang State Property Market Report issued by the National Property Information Centre, 2,796 residential units were identified as overhang, involving various types of properties across the state,' he said. In addition to improving housing accessibility, he said the initiative also aims to revitalise the property sector affected by rising construction and labour costs, in line with the state government's aspiration to achieve more balanced, sustainable and inclusive development in Penang.
