KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 -- The National Digital Infrastructure Workshop (Makmal) from July 13 to Aug 14 is a testimony of the government’s commitment towards boosting the country’s digital connectivity. 

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), in a statement, said the workshop would also prepare the nation and the people face social and economic challenges on the back of a strong digital infrastructure foundation, post-COVID-19 specifically.  

“MCMC welcomes the announcement by Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah on the implementation of Makmal. 

“Makmal will be a collaboration between industry players and the government, in which MCMC will act as a facilitator producing a comprehensive framework for the development of the country’s digital infrastructure with its implementation coordinated to meeting pressing demands in the new normal era,” the statement read.   

According to MCMC, representation and involvement at ministry, department and industry level have been identified and this will help prepare plans through feedback and cooperation from all stakeholders. 

"The results from Makmal will provide room for swift improvement in terms of access through joint efforts between the industry and the government. This would provide a spike on pre-global pandemic era projected targets,” the Commission said, while also welcoming feedback from industry players and government agencies not directly involved in the programme. 

Yesterday, Saifuddin said Makmal will be held to reset targets related to the country’s digital infrastructure as well as to devise a more orderly strategy in providing holistic and quality broadband services.

He said this was because the Covid-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order (MCO) had shown that the country’s digital connectivity needed a holistic upgrading as soon as possible.