Malaysia’s digital economy has grown rapidly since the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic. These situations have forced people, business and the government to transform their activities online.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) stated that the nation’s digital economy greatly exceeded the target for 2020 to reach 22.6% share of the national economy.
It means Malaysians rely on digitalisation for their work and daily consumption requirements due to their isolation at home for lengthy periods during Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, it becomes a new normal for everyone.
Due to the growing number of digital consumers, organisations need to enhance the use of digital tools for front-end and back-end operations to keep up with the rapidly changing shopping and purchasing trend, particularly for organisations in the retail industry.
A rapid growth in digital avenues for business-to-consumer (B2C) engagement directly influences a growth in digital business-to-business (B2B) engagement. Thus, digital becomes the only way for organisations to expand their business broader.
Share of Digital Economy to National Economy (%) 2017-2023
Chart 1: Share of Digital Economy to National Economy (%) 2017-2023
Chart 1 shows that the digital economy generated RM 320.0 billion to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020, resulting in a 22.6% share of the country’s GDP and exceeding the aspirational target of 20% set a decade ago.
As a result, the national GDP also exceeded the RM 300 billion achievement. It also indicates that digital tools, platforms and technologies in both work and living brings a significant changes to economy and society
Furthermore, the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) under the Minister’s Department has predicted that, even if the rest of the country’s economy recovers over the following few years, the percentage of the digital economy in GDP might reach 25.5% by 2025.
However, PIKOM considered that this estimate is incredibly reasonable. In line with our projections, the proportion of the digital economy should gradually increase to reach an anticipated 25.4% in 2023.
Obviously, the Covid-19 epidemic served as the primary cause for this surge in digital. Meanwhile, the Government also acknowledged this situation as an opportunity to put greater effort to promote and develop the digital economy.
Thus, the Government has implemented and amended a number of national projects with the goal of promoting digital usage, growing homegrown capabilities, and luring investment into this sector.
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Discussing New Opportunities and Challenges Offered by a Digitized Economy
The digitized economy has opened up a new world of opportunities and challenges for businesses and individuals alike. As more companies move towards digital platforms, the need to adapt and innovate has become even more important.
One of the biggest opportunities offered by the digitized economy is the ability to reach a global audience. Companies can now sell their products and services to anyone, anywhere in the world, with the help of e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces.
This has created a level playing field for small and medium-sized businesses, who can now compete with larger corporations on a global scale.
However, with these new opportunities come challenges. Cybersecurity has become a major concern for businesses operating in a digitized economy. With more data being shared and stored online, there is an increased risk of cyberattacks and data breaches.
Companies must invest in strong cybersecurity measures to protect their data and their customers’ data.
Another challenge is the need for digital literacy. As the world becomes more digitized, it is important for individuals to have the skills to navigate digital platforms and tools.
This is particularly important for those in low-skilled or manual labor jobs, who may be at risk of being left behind by the digitized economy.
In addition, the digitized economy has created new industries and job opportunities, such as social media management and digital marketing.
However, it has also rendered some jobs obsolete, particularly those that are repetitive and can be easily automated. As a result, there is a need for retraining and upskilling programs to help individuals adapt to the changing job market.
Overall, the digitized economy offers both new opportunities and challenges. It is important for businesses and individuals to adapt and innovate in order to thrive in this new digital world. This requires a focus on cybersecurity, digital literacy, and upskilling to stay ahead of the curve.
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