19-year-old entrepreneur Natalie Loi has made headlines, putting Malaysia on the tech map with her home-grown star-up UnBound. UnBound was born in 2017 as she completed her Bachelor of Business at Victoria University. Their mission is to transform education through augmented reality games and artificial intelligence. The Malaysian federal government is keen to back projects which promise employment opportunities. It seeks to create 50,000 new jobs in the digital economy, which fits into its long-term strategy of becoming a regional hub for that industry by 2030.
The push for a robust digital economy began in earnest in 1996 when Malaysia launched its “Multimedia Super Corridor” initiative. This enterprise paved the way for the more contemporary emphasis on high-tech across advanced industries and digital solutions. Malaysia’s nationwide deployment of 5G technology across its urban and populated states. With this shift, the city is beefing up its infrastructure in efforts to lure international startups and tech behemoths.
With its strategic location and data-friendly policies, Malaysia has become a competitive hub for global data centers. It’s home to one of the lowest natural disaster risks in the country, cheap land, and low-cost power. Johor, a southern state in Malaysia, is emerging as a focal point for these facilities, which are integral to the nation’s digital future.
A New Wave of Innovation
Loi’s UnBound has taken some big steps forward in ed tech innovation. It collaborates with over 100 other institutions in Southeast Asia, Australia, and the UK. Collectively, they share a vision to create an education system where learning is more engaging and accessible.
I didn’t come from a technical background but I didn’t let that deter me. I pretty much taught myself how to build a learning application,” Loi said, pointing to her fierce desire to disrupt an industry where she previously felt like an outsider. UnBound has been on the leading edge of AR and AI, disrupting the educational experience and creating innovative new paths to learning. Simultaneously, it’s fueling new economic growth related to digitization in their communities.
UnBound, a nonprofit advocacy organization, is on a larger mission to create an AI-driven surveillance system. This system will be used by the Malaysian Public Works Department and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. This six-point initiative is a testament to Malaysia’s determination to adopt intelligent technology into state governance and public services.
“There’s a lot of space for growth and a lot of potential for skill if you want to make an impact in the world.” – Natalie Loi
The Malaysian government is very keen to encourage more startups of UnBound’s type. By focusing on upskilling young graduates and fostering innovation, officials believe they can harness local talent that is increasingly vital in a rapidly evolving global market.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Despite significant progress, challenges remain. As it stands today, only 90 percent of households in Malaysia are connected to the internet. Juita Mohamad, a commissioner with Malaysia’s National Communications and Multimedia Commission, raised the most important point of all. Despite these headline figures, there remains a large number of communities in eastern Malaysia still not connected.
On the surface, “Ninety percent” sounds great, Mohamad said. What is noticeable though, is the presence of states along the East Coast and eastern Malaysia that are still unlinked. This gap highlights the need for continued investment in infrastructure to ensure equitable access to digital resources across the country.
Moreover, as Malaysia aggressively promotes digital transformation, it is critical to assess how deeply rooted these changes are in generating skilled digital talent. Azran Osman-Rani articulated an important challenge. When data centers do create the types of jobs that stakeholders are excited about, they focus on maintenance roles instead of software engineer or data scientist roles.
“A lot of it [the jobs] in data centres involve maintenance and manufacturing but they’re not generating a lot of digital talent like software engineers, data scientists and digital marketers.” – Azran Osman-Rani
The Malaysian government has been responsive to these concerns and has taken strategic moves to stay ahead of the curve to update laws that govern technology. Nuarrual Hilal Dahlan from Protection International underlined the importance of reforming the legislative framework to address emerging challenges. He is a passionate advocate for adapting regulatory frameworks that advance innovation and new technologies, while ensuring the public’s interests are prioritized.
The Road Ahead
As Malaysia marches toward its goal of becoming a leading force in the digital economy by 2030, it remains committed to supporting local entrepreneurs like Natalie Loi. In December 2022, the Ministry of Digital went ahead and set up the National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO). This new initiative provides a unique opportunity for AI development and implementation to be proactively supported across public and private sectors.
Building neutrality into the government’s approach remains key to their international partner engagement. As Sam Majid pointed out, this should be the core strategy. As he put it, “Neutrality is the large, audacious code word we always use when dealing with any international partners. As Malaysia faces increasingly difficult global realities—especially in forming alliances on tech—this attitude is all the more important.
Malaysia is accelerating its digital ecosystem along. In an effort to make the country more attractive to tech investment, the National Water Services Commission has laid out stringent sustainability standards for operators of data centers.
“AI is opening up a lot of career opportunities, and there’s a lot of space for growth and a lot of potential for new skills,” – Natalie Loi
