VOICE OF THE MALAYSIAN TECH INDUSTRY
my VOL. 4 • NO. 2 • 2021 RM10
A NOBLE ENDEAVOUR OPTIMISES ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS ON CLOUD IaaS PIKOM MEMBERS MEET 2021
CONNECTING AND SECURING BUSINESSES THROUGH MANAGED NETWORKS AND DIGITAL SURVEILLANCE Datuk Teoh Eng Kee, Managing Director of EKTECH Holdings
CONNECT YOUR ENTERPRISE WITH A RELIABLE SERVICE PROVIDER
EKTECH HYBRID NETWORK
EXPERIENCED ESTABLISHED EXPERTS www.ektech.com.my info@ektech.com.my +60(3) 7 8 9 0 1 6 9 9
Managed Network Service Independent Service Provider IoT Enabler SD-WAN Next Generation 5G
For more info
Scan Here!
my CONTENTS
Vol 4 No. 2
EKTECH GROUP-Connecting and Securing Businesses Through Managed Networks and Digital Surveillance
2
Optimises Enterprise Applications on Cloud IaaS
6
Aspirasi Named APICTA 2020 Fintech Award Winner
8
Adopting A BYOD Policy Amidst The COVID-19 Era
10
A Noble Endeavour
14
PIKOM Members Meet 2021 Cover Story Datuk Teoh Eng Kee, Managing Director of EKTECH Holdings
6
14 1
MY•IT
16
Why Join Us
List of PIKOM New Members from February to August 2021 PIKOM In The News / Upcoming Events
8
20
21 22
•••••
COVER STORY
EKTECH GROUP – CONNECTING AND SECURING BUSINESSES THROUGH MANAGED NETWORKS AND DIGITAL SURVEILLANCE MyIT magazine speaks to Datuk Teoh Eng Kee, Managing Director of EKTECH Holdings on the company’s foray into digital surveillance and innovative solutions for managed networks.
E
stablished in 2002, EKTECH Holdings is a tech company specialising in providing end-to-end advanced networking and security solutions. Founded by a team of IT professionals led by Datuk Teoh Eng Kee, the company has grown to be a leading hybrid, fixed and wireless, managed network service provider in Malaysia. EKTECH connects businesses through fixed and wireless solutions, designing and building highly reliable hybrid multi-telco networks. The company is also an experienced ELV engineering organisation, providing advanced electronic security and smart solutions. Driven by its core values of being Customer Focused, Principled, Professional, Knowledgeable and Dependable, the company serves enterprises across all industries including SMEs, oil and gas, plantations, retailers, financial institutions, and property developers, among others.
A FULFILLING JOURNEY WITH EKTECH Speaking about his journey building the company, Datuk Teoh shares, “My journey building EKTECH, has been very fulfilling, with plenty of
2
MY•IT
thrills and challenges over the years watching my company grow. The company has grown from a team of only 3, to over 50 employees.” “The people in EKTECH are like a big family, with the original 3 founding members still with us, each heading his own divisions. The company has divested into different areas of services, growing from a single entity, into 5 companies providing different tech services in various industries,” he adds. Reminiscing on his foray into business, Datuk Teoh shares that after years of working in IT for several local and overseas banks, he experienced a yearning for change and transformation. This propelled him to venture out on his own and start his own IT firm. “EKTECH was established by myself in early 2002 after a lot of soulsearching and a desire to control my own destiny, leaving my job as a Senior IT Manager in a bank,” explains Datuk Teoh.
CREATING A NICHE IN THE MARKET Not wanting to create just another systems integration company, Datuk Teoh searched for a niche and identified business opportunities in digital surveillance solutions in the industry. This was at a time when
banks were still using tape recorders to record surveillance videos. “Using our expertise in IT, we managed to convert banks’ CCTV systems from tape recorders to digital recorders and networked the solution, integrating the branches for central monitoring and management, reducing downtime and increased surveillance by providing remote monitoring,” he says. “All these seems ordinary now, but in those days, live video streaming over the network especially for surveillance was pretty advanced. As more digital technologies were introduced into the security industry, our IT knowledge and expertise gave us an advantage over the existing analogue providers, hence we leap-frogged them and managed to provide solutions to many clients,” adds Datuk Teoh. From here, Datuk Teoh and his team gained experience and expanded into other areas of physical security, helping clients implement more advanced and innovative solutions using video analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). Today, EKTECH is one of the leading providers of integrated security solutions, providing smart and advanced solutions for security such as facial recognition biometrics
technology. Armed with a commitment to continuously provide innovative solutions and resolve their clients’ complex IT challenges, EKTECH embraced the tagline Solutions Thinkers, Technologist and Solution Providers. To-date, EKTECH has been involved in many firsts, using leading edge technologies to solve problems.
DELIVERING SUPERIOR SOLUTIONS Talking about EKTECH’s track record of successful solution implementations, Datuk Teoh shares, “Back in 2006 we were asked to find a solution to stream surveillance videos from a moving police vehicle for remote monitoring in Bukit Aman. We were the first to demonstrate that it could be done and successfully streamed live videos over the 3G network from a moving police vehicle. The project was successfully implemented in the Klang Valley for PDRM.” This achievement led Datuk Teoh and his team to take on their next challenge which was to discover a solution and demonstrate that it is possible to connect a bank’s ATM wirelessly over 3G network, securely and reliably. “We were called in to find a solution and we successfully demonstrated the first ATM cash withdrawal over a wireless cellular network in 2008. This led to the creation of a new service and line of business for us, to provide wireless 3G services and solutions, and the setting up of a new company called EKTECH Communications Sdn Bhd, providing Managed Wireless Network Services to enterprises,” he beams. EKTECH went on to win several tech awards for this innovative solution. EKTECH is considered a leader in enterprise wireless 4G/LTE communications and has now evolved to provide other advanced networking solutions such as hybrid connectivity and Software-Defined
MY•IT
3
•••••
“
COVER STORY
WITH OUR EXPERTISE, WE MANAGED TO CONVERT BANKS’ CCTV SYSTEMS FROM TAPE RECORDERS TO DIGITAL RECORDERS AND NETWORKED THE SOLUTION, INTEGRATING THE BRANCHES FOR CENTRAL MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT, REDUCING DOWNTIME AND INCREASED SURVEILLANCE BY PROVIDING REMOTE MONITORING.
”
- Datuk Teoh Eng Kee, Managing Director of EKTECH Holdings
Wide-Area Networks (SD-WAN). The company manages the network for major corporations in various industries such as financial services, oil & gas, retailing, plantations and many more.
EKTECH’S ROLE IN MALAYSIA’S DIGITAL FOOTPRINT With its innovative solutions and state-of-the-art offerings, EKTECH is actively involved in Malaysia’s digital footprint. The company is the first to introduce and use cellular data networks for enterprises between 2007 and 2008. “We managed to disrupt the market dominated by big fixedline telecommunication players. We raised the bar for performance as well as lowered the cost for our clients,” explains Datuk Teoh. This service is used by enterprises in various industries to connect their branches, outlets, kiosks and provide mobility which was previously not possible with fixed lines. The company recognises that with the advent of 5G, wireless services and solutions will be increasingly more important to the advancement of enterprises and the country. To cater to the market demand for its unique services, EKTECH today employs more than 50 IT
4
MY•IT
professionals and has trained countless network engineers who have passed through the company’s doors. The company foresees that with the advent of IoT, Big Data and Cloud Computing as well as 5G, EKTECH will play a crucial part in providing connectivity and innovation to enterprises in their thrust towards digitalisation.
EKTECH’S BESTSELLING SOLUTIONS EKTECH’s unique selling proposition is the ability to provide clients with multi-telco, multi-technologies hybrid solutions. “We are their aggregator – we aggregate all the telcos’ connectivity under our network to give a total telecommunication solution to our clients,” says Datuk Teoh. EKTECH’s Managed Network Services provide network solutions and services on subscription basis. The company has long-term contracts with large enterprises, such as banks, to manage their networks.
KEY THRUSTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL DIGITALISATION JOURNEY Explaining about the key thrusts for a successful digitalisation journey, Datuk Teoh says that automation is
important, and that clients hould automate and digitalise their processes. “Computerise your manual processes. It may seem that labour is cheaper than implementing an IT system, but in the long run, you will reap the rewards of better efficiency and reduction in manpower as a company grows,” he points out. “Outsource highly technical work to the experts. With the everchanging IT landscape, keeping up with technology is difficult. Outsource the service to the experts, they have better experience and resources then you can build on and retrain,” he advises. Datuk Teoh highlights that having data or information at your fingertips is crucial for business success. He elaborates that with business getting more competitive, accessing real time data is crucial in making important business decisions fast to stay ahead of competition. In addition to that, Datuk Teoh says that the pandemic and lockdown has caused a lot of disruption to how business is conducted, especially with movement restrictions, therefore, businesses are forced to look for ways to conduct their business, work and interact, not only between B2C but also B2B.
“Processes should be digitalised. Businesses are discovering that they can do away with archaic business processes and interactions. This is where seamless and good data communications will play a major role to connect businesses and people remotely,” he shares. His advice to business owners in digitalising business operations is to “Take it one step at a time. Start on a small scale and get quick wins with results to show all the stakeholders the potential and rewards of digitalisation.” “Talk to the experts, find a trusted, reliable and professional partner in your journey. Look for those with real experience, the techies, look past the sales talk. Verify their expertise and credentials. Look for the smaller IT companies, you get more attention from them, then the big boys, as they are more nimble. Better to be one of the largest clients of a small firm than to
be one of the smallest clients in a large firm,” he adds.
DELIVERING GREATER VALUE THROUGH AI With clients constantly looking for greater value in their IT systems, Datuk Teoh explains that AI depends on real-time data to process, analyse, decide and respond to situations in an intelligent manner. “The collection of data is crucial to feed the machine learning system. You need inputs, from IoT endpoints, sensors and devices, customer touchpoints etc.,” says Datuk Teoh. “EKTECH as the IoT enabler, can help customers connect their endpoints, to ensure reliable transmission of transactions hence the collection of data.With our wireless solution we can connect any devices anywhere, anytime,” he adds. CCTV systems today are no longer dumb cameras. Our CCTV solutions today incorporate AI video analytics
that help clients proactively monitor and alert anomalies accurately without human monitoring. Video analytics are used not only for surveillance but to improve our clients’ business as well, through foot traffic and customer sales experience analysis.All this uses AI and deep machine learning to enhance our clients’ competitiveness.
EKTECH’S FUTURE DIRECTION Currently recognised as a leading wireless 4G/LTE solutions provider, in the future, EKTECH hopes to progress from a niche player to cover all angles of communications and to be a value-added independent service provider of choice for all companies. “We hope to continue our journey as an innovative solutions provider and to deliver creative technical solutions to solve real-life business problems for our clients,” says Datuk Teoh.
MY•IT
5
•••••
FEATURE / HITACHI SUNWAY
OPTIMISED ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS ON CLOUD THROUGH IaaS Protect your Investment. Gain Agility. Keep Control.
T
he pandemic has brought many changes to businesses and the way they engage with their stakeholders. Budget holders plan on aggressively shifting away from owning hardware to operating more cloud services. The move to the cloud is done for obvious business reasons – the first one being lower up-front costs, secondly to optimise operating expenses and ultimately achieving the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO).
TRANSFORM CLOUD SPEND INTO STRATEGIC VALUE The cloud has proved itself extremely valuable in these highly volatile times, and organisations certainly will not be going back to the old way of doing things. Cloud infrastructure services, known as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), are self-service models for accessing, monitoring, and managing remote data centre infrastructures, such as compute, storage, networking, and networking
6
MY•IT
services. Instead of having to purchase hardware outright, users can purchase IaaS based on consumption, similar to electricity or other utility billing. With IaaS, you can move onpremise ERP/CRM/HR/WMS/ eProcurement applications to the cloud – preserving years of effort and major investment in customisations and configuration. In addition, cloud applications can be accessed from anywhere in the world and deployed in hours, days, or weeks (depending on the complexity of the applications). Even though you are not required to manage the IaaS physical infrastructure, you are required to have control on the operating system, the databases, and the application itself. This means you can perform updates and maintenance on your own schedule, just as your IT department did on-premise.
MOVING FORWARD WITH HITACHI SUNWAY IaaS Multiply the value of your enterprise applications investment by digitally
transforming your organisation through IaaS. The promise of Hitachi Sunway eXcelCLOUD includes:• Greater business agility and speed to market • Better use of resources focusing on business growth • More rapid implementation of new business models • Lower capital expense and total cost of ownership • Fewer operational issues with our flexible managed services • 24x7 network monitoring and service desk support Hitachi Sunway eXcelCLOUD services are supported by our 24x7 Security Operations Centre (“SOC”), which also provides end-to-end cybersecurity-as-a-service offerings under the eXcelSECURE brand. Your business requirements aren’t one-size-fits-all. Find a deployment solution that works for you. Contact us today to find out how eXcelCLOUD solution can help your organisation gain control and achieve competitive advantage when you move your enterprise applications to the cloud.
IaaS
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
ERP
CRM
|
GAIN AGILITY
|
KEEP CONTROL
HR
WMS
Transform Cloud Spend into Strategic Value
Move your on-premise ERP / CRM / HR / WMS / eProcurement applications to the cloud, and enable productivity from anywhere, increase efficiency, deliver innovation across hybrid environments, and help ensure security. •
IaaS allows companies to use virtual infrastructure without the large-scale startup costs, IT personnel and storage space needed to maintain local infrastructure.
•
IaaS provides storage, network, and computational hardware for enterprise-level cloud-based computing, available to any number of users at any time.
•
IaaS allows enterprise-level companies to function more effectively, using virtual machines to create data networks, manage large, international business networks, and create apps and software.
Talk to our Experts!
Hitachi Sunway can help you move your applications to the cloud, sell you the cloud services you are using and manage and optimize your cloud services.
Get in touch via our WhatsApp channel
Hitachi Sunway is a leading ICT and Digital Solutions & Services Integrator in ASEAN specialising in implementing, supporting and providing consultancy for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) & Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions; managing and supporting IT infrastructures; Cloud-enabling IT platforms, including the Cyber Security elements in our fully compliant and secured data centres (DC). Our portfolio is aimed at helping clients to embrace the acceleration in digitalization that are transforming businesses. Hitachi Sunway has a proven track record of serving more than 1,000 clients in the region across various business verticals; from small to global enterprises as well as public sector and industries such as manufacturing, financial, construction, education and healthcare. Hitachi Sunway currently operates in 15 locations across 5 countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam) and will be expanding our operations to Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.
www.hitachi-sunway-is.com
•••••
FEATURE / ASPIRASI
ASPIRASI NAMED APICTA 2020 ‘FINTECH AWARD’ WINNER The digital financier aims to financially assist and protect underserved communities with its 100% digital financing solutions.
A
spirasi, a digital financier under Axiata Digital, a digital services arm of the Axiata Group, was recently awarded the MSC Malaysia APICTA 2020 Award in the Finance & Accounting Solutions (Fintech) category, by PIKOM Malaysia. Sheyantha Abeykoon, CEO of Boost Holdings Sdn. Bhd., a Fintech Holding arm under Axiata Digital Axiata Digital said the company was honored to receive the APICTA award that recognised “Aspirasi’s effort in simplifying digital financial and insurance access for our customers to achieve their dreams without financial worries”. “We will assure our customers that Aspirasi will continue to source new ways and redefine digital financial services by deploying the latest technology with this win.” “As we aim to assist and protect our customers financially, we will also ensure they will receive the right digital financial support no matter where they are in their business or life journey,” he stated. Aspirasi, established in 2019, is Malaysia’s home-grown digital brand that provides end-to-end AI-driven micro-financing and micro-insurance solutions to empower underserved businesses or MSMEs in Malaysia with a quick and simple digital financing solution. The applicant will need to go through a swift and simple 3-minute application journey, and, if approved, the applicant will receive fast disbursement of funds within 48 hours.
8
MY•IT
Above: Aspirasi’s micro-financing solution allows financing up to RM 100,000 through a 3-minute hassle-free online application journey.
Sheyantha Abeykoon, CEO, Digital Financial Services Businesses of Axiata Digital.
In 2020, the company disbursed RM207 million of financing to ease the financial worries of 9,176 unique merchants in Malaysia and Indonesia. In supporting the Malaysian Government’s aspiration to ensure the country’s preparedness in achieving digital maturity with comprehensive digital financial services, Aspirasi recently expanded its reach to provide consumer financing for all Malaysians via e-commerce platforms. As an association of ICT
Left: Aspirasi collaborated with SME Corp. Malaysia to provide micro-financing for underserved MSMEs in Malaysia.
communities nominated by its members in the region, APICTA (Asia Pacific ICT Alliance) has actively identified and recognised innovative indigenous ICT products and services to promote the deployment and development in the Asia-Pacific region. Boost Holdings is the fintech holding arm under Axiata Digital and it includes Aspirasi the microfinancing & micro-insurance provider and Boost e-Wallet.
AN
COMPANY
MSC MALAYSIA APICTA AWARDS 2020 FINTECH
THE AWARD-WINNING DIGITAL FINANCING SOLUTION Rise Together We are honored to receive the APICTA 2020 award that recognized Aspirasi's effort in simplifying digital financing and insurance access for our customers in order to achieve their aspirations and rise together to greater heights of success.
•••••
FEATURE / MANAGEENGINE
ADOPTING A BYOD POLICY AMIDST THE COVID-19 ERA • By Alice Selvan
I
n the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, even companies that had said “no” to BYOD have come to terms with it since a fair share of remote work would not even be possible without such a policy. Pandemic or no pandemic, on-the-go data access has always enabled employees to get work done quickly and efficiently. It guarantees better communication with colleagues and improves customer service, and device familiarity brings employee satisfaction and increased productivity. Employees using their own devices also relieve the company of device, licensing, and maintenance costs. More people adapting to remote work implies more personal devices are accessing business-critical data. Over 72% of organisations lack a plan to secure BYOD devices, or have not yet identified their need for one, and this increases the risk of data breaches and cybercrime. However, implementing BYOD at an enterprise level comes with its own set of challenges:
10 MY•IT
• Protecting against cyberthreats
• Securing critical data
• Keeping up with compliance requirements
• Responding to theft
Employees using their own devices for work, or uploading or downloading critical data while connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, allows cybercriminals to get their hands on organisational data. The spike to 4,000 cyberattacks per day since the COVID-19 pandemic started stands as proof of that.
With personal and corporate data coexisting on the same device, ensuring employees’ devices adhere to the required compliance policies, like the GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS, can be challenging. Any unapproved transfer of confidential data can cost the company its reputation and lead to severe data protection fines.
• Providing multi-platform device support
Supporting a plethora of devices, including all the different platforms, models, and versions, can be a headache for an IT admin, and it can turn into an even bigger one if an employee uses more than one device for work.
Data on corporate devices is easier to protect with the company’s firewall shielding it, but that’s not the case with BYOD devices. Some employees might share their credentials, postpone critical updates, connect to insecure Wi-Fi networks or respond to scams like phishing attacks, all of which endanger corporate data. Mobile devices, especially smartphones, are easily lost or misplaced, and this can end up jeopardising business-critical data.
• Getting employee approval It might be the company’s data, but it’s the employee’s device after all. Organisations need to strike a balance between monitoring and protecting their data on devices and giving employees their share of privacy.
SOLVING BYOD CHALLENGES Although BYOD ushers in its own set of challenges, steps can be taken to ensure the policy works effectively both from the employee’s and the organisation’s point of view.
MY•IT
11
•••••
FEATURE / MANAGEENGINE
ONBOARDING AND MANAGING VARIED DEVICES An organisation should agree on a list of approved devices based on each device’s ability to support the required set of approved apps and storage capacity, and the organisation’s ability to provide support for the device itself. Furthermore, userfriendly enrolment methods can be used to onboard and authenticate employees’ devices into the corporate network. Keeping track of all the enrolled devices with access to corporate data is mandatory so that the admin is never caught off-guard.
CONTAINERISING AND SAFEGUARDING DATA • To ensure that data from personal apps does not mix with that of corporate apps, installing a container or a work profile is a must; this creates a separate workspace to host corporate apps and data. The work container can be further secured by setting up a strong password and restricting users’ ability to share data outside the container. • Organisations can get alerts about rooted or jail-broken devices and take necessary action on them such as performing a data wipe, to protect sensitive information from being leaked. • To ensure that their network is safe from major security threats or vulnerabilities, possibly owing to the use of unapproved Wi-Fi networks, organisations can require employees to connect to a VPN to access corporate resources. • Organisations can block unmanaged devices from accessing their mail servers and further restrict data sharing between managed and unmanaged devices.
12 MY•IT
HANDLING APPS A considerable amount of work is done using apps. An MDM solution can simplify the app distribution process for an organisation’s approved set of apps, including testing in-house apps before deploying them to devices. App permissions and updates can be controlled so that users cannot modify settings that allow data transfer through personal apps. Admins can also prevent data leakage by restricting malicious or unapproved apps and blocking data backups to third-party cloud services.
TROUBLESHOOTING DEVICES REMOTELY For anything from a basic functionality issue to an in-house app crash, a remote troubleshooting session can help admins remotely view and control the device screen, execute commands on the device, and resolve issues in real time.
SECURING CORPORATE DATA ON LOST DEVICES Locate, lock, and completely or selectively wipe devices remotely if they are stolen to protect important data on the devices from being misused. When an employee leaves the organisation, a corporate wipe can be carried out on the device so that no corporate data is retained. With ever increasing cybersecurity threats, it becomes difficult for organisations to tackle the challenges that come with implementing
a BYOD policy. A solution such as ManageEngine Mobile Device Manager Plus which supports Apple, Android, Windows, and Chrome devices, can be the perfect ally for IT teams. It allows admins to segregate personal and corporate workspaces, provide and manage enterprise-approved apps, and enforce approved corporate security policies to safeguard business-critical resources. Admins can remotely troubleshoot devices, execute location-based actions, and erase data from lost or stolen devices to safeguard confidential information, ensuring data security.
About ManagerEngine ManageEngine is the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation. Established and emerging enterprises – including 9 of every 10 Fortune 100 organisations – rely on our real-time IT management tools to ensure optimal performance of their IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, applications, desktops and more. The company has offices worldwide, including the United States, the Netherlands, India, Singapore, Japan, China, and Australia as well as a network of more than 200 global partners to help organisations tightly align their businesses and IT. For more information, please visit http://www.manageengine. com, follow the company blog at blogs.manageengine.com, on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin. com/company/manageengine/, on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/ManageEngine/ and on Twitter at https://twitter. com/manageengine
•••••
FEATURE / ANGKASA-X
A NOBLE ENDEAVOUR Once in a while someone comes up with a noble endeavour like this one – to make internet available to all, regardless of their location. Regular Malaysians can be a part of this effort through an equity crowdfunding (ECF) exercise that promises good returns on their investment.
I
t is so easy for us to surf the Internet, get on social media, buy and sell things online that we sometimes forget, due to their location, some Malaysians are unable to have a stable network what more any Internet connectivity. Those in the remote areas such as on far off islands, on highlands deep inland, offshore oil rigs and if you go out of your way off the beaten track, these areas often have patchy, slow or zero Internet access. Even if there are communities living in these areas, on the roughly 30,000 islands dotting the Southeast Asian region, it makes no practical sense for a telecommunications provider to roll out cables right to their doorsteps. In these areas, satellite technology is a viable alternative to connectivity, specifically the less costly low earth orbit (LEO) satellites that circle closer to Earth, at between 500km and
14 MY•IT
2,000km above the earth as opposed to traditional communication satellites that are stationed far higher at 36,000km. It is estimated that the world will see the launch of some 75,000 LEO satellites in the next decade. In a bid to grab a slice of this pie, Malaysian company Angkasa-X has concrete plans to launch not one but 500 of such satellites starting next year. The 500 satellites – designed and built in Malaysia – will be set to orbit close to the Equator, and will make up what is known as the A-SEANLINK LEO Satellites Constellation. Why 500? Because that’s the number of satellites required to cover the ASEAN region. These will circle the earth and primarily serve ASEAN nations, where half of the population have no Internet
connectivity. Through this enterprise, the company will also create an international SpaceTech Park in Malaysia from which a space science and tech ecosystem will flourish and play a pivotal role in the development of the regional space economy. Angkasa-X will then provide Satellite-as-a-Service (SaaS) by renting out its celestial hardware. “Governments and companies now need not invest huge amounts of money to establish infrastructure,
especially in remote areas where traditional terrestrial fibre network is limited, but would be able to tap on this service for a fraction of the cost,” explained Executive Chairman and CEO Dr Sean Seah. “Our services can be used for a variety of purpose, namely from training the next generation of students to testing out new technologies in space, from atmospheric and climate research to marine traffic monitoring.” Angkasa-X has plans to raise working capital by floating its shares on the US capital market through the
COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET AS OF 2020 (IN MILLIONS) Number of disconnected people in millions
800 700
support of its two Kuala Lumpurbased equity partners, namely GreenPro Capital Corp, listed on Nasdaq, and SEATech Ventures Corp, listed on the OTC Pink market. Angkasa-X will soon unveil plans to offer an initial public offering (IPO). Angkasa-X is also looking to raise funds through equity crowdfunding (ECF) using pitchIN, a Securities Commission Malaysia-registered platform. Here’s how you can be a part of this noble effort. With a minimal investment of RM3000 via pitchIN, Malaysians can sow the seeds of this project by promoting research and development in Malaysia and building the A-SEANLINK LEO Satellites Constellation. And, as an icing on the cake, Angkasa-X guarantees a US-IPO share-swap exit within 18 months assuring its Malaysian investors a handsome return on their investment.
600 500 400 300 200 100
Source: www.statista.com
pt Eg y
il Br az
go
pi a
Co n DR
io
a do
Et h
ne si
sh In
Ba
ng
la
de
er ia
ta is Pa k
N ig
n
a in Ch
In
di
a
0
Here’s how to be a part of this noble cause: 1. Sign up for an account on pitchIN https://equity.pitchin. my/users/sign_up 2. Visit https://equity.pitchin. my/businesses/angkasaxinnovation-sdn-bhd#bhead2 3. Hit the Pitch Info tab. 4. Hit Invest Now.
MY•IT 15
•••••
FEATURE / PIKOM MEMBERS MEET
PIKOM MEMBERS MEET 2021 PIKOM held its first online members’ meet for 2021, organised to engage members of the association, to update on activities and developments over the last one year, as well as future developments within the association and to welcome new members.
I
n welcoming members to the first members’ meet for 2021, Danny Lee, Chairman of PIKOM said that with the lack of physical meet-ups over the last one year, this was a great opportunity to catch up on the latest developments. Danny introduced PIKOM’s new office bearers, advisors, council members, and members of the secretariat. Representing PIKOM, Danny has been involved in various advisory councils of government agencies to advocate the overall direction of the digital technology industry. He was appointed as part of the Communication and Multimedia Consultative Council, a platform for the government to get involved in discussions with industry and stakeholders on policies and issues related to the communications and multimedia sector.
16 MY•IT
PIKOM’S GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS Danny highlighted that PIKOM is also involved with MDEC in terms of engagement, with PIKOM having the opportunity to meet the new chairman of MDEC, Datuk Wira Dr Hj Rais Hussin Mohamed Ariff, to discuss the e-commerce ecosystem for local players. “This where we are looking at how to develop local organisations in the e-commerce space which is very important in terms of building local talents as well as the industry,” said Danny. Danny is also on the board of the Digital Productivity Nexus (DPN) of Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) which plays the role of being a technology supplier while also addressing tech talent as well as consumer issues. “As far as DPN is concerned, they are also looking
into digitalisation of SMEs with grants from the government,” explained Danny. Every year, PIKOM also works with the Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF) conducting various discussions that include budget planning for the tech industry. “In last year’s budget discussion, we talked about tax exemption for IT devices. We are also talking about bigger budgets for training and development of tech talents, and also to address digital tech issues, and so forth,” he said. Danny is also involved in the National Science Council Advisory panel which plays an integral advisory role for science, technology, innovation and re-engineering. “We are also closely working with Akademi Sains Malaysia on the development of talent,” he added.
Aside from that, Danny explained that PIKOM also works with the retail industry to support and promote local retailers. PIKOM has also engaged with Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek, the new Chairman of the Multimedia and Communications Commission (MCMC) and raised industry concerns on data centre licensing issues. The tech association has also kept in constant contact with the Malaysian Customs Department to address taxation issues faced by the tech industry. Besides data centre licensing issues, PIKOM has also submitted proposal papers to the government on other matters such as to maintain IT as essential services, e-commerce policies by Future Digital Committee led by industry and academic leaders, review of the cabotage
exemption policy for foreign vessels as well as exemption of SST and DST for the tech sector. Danny updated that after raising awareness among government agencies and ministries, IT has now been named an essential service sector.
PIKOM’S JOURNEY IN 2020 AND 2021 In sharing PIKOM’s efforts in 2020 and 2021, Danny explained that due to the pandemic situation, Malaysia was unable to host WCIT 2020 last year, and has postponed the event to 2022. He explained that PIKOM hosted a 3-day digital festival in Penang last year called Tech Fest, held virtually with viewers from over 80 countries across the world. The conference focused on several key topics including 5G transformation, smart city development,
cybersecurity, enterprise growth for startups, plus eSports. Some 250 panellists and speakers including start-up founders, policy makers and academicians came together virtually to discuss these topics over 180 live sessions. PIKOM also hosted the annual GBS Asia Awards 2020 virtually in 2020, aimed at recognising excellence in the field of global business services (GBS), and the outstanding achievements of top organisations as well as individuals including VBOs and shared services with a focus on digital adoption. Last year’s winner of the ‘Contact Centre Operational Excellence’ and ‘Best Practices Business Process Transformation’ categories was Daythree Business Services Sdn Bhd, while HSBC Data Centre won the Best Practices in Infrastructure
MY•IT 17
•••••
FEATURE / PIKOM MEMBERS MEET
Management Services category, among other notable award winners. Nominations for 2021 are currently open and PIKOM welcomes submissions. In 2021, the MSC Malaysia Asia Pacific ICT Awards (MSC Malaysia APICTA) was also hosted by PIKOM, in which 27 winners and merit recipients were recognised for outstanding achievements. Nominations for 2022 are currently open for submission. The PIKOM Business Summit (PBS), which was supposed to be held last year, was instead hosted this year by the tech association on a virtual basis. The event themed “After the Storm – What’s Next”, attracted 800 registrations. During the Series 1 of the PBS, we held the PIKOM Leadership Summit, which saw 374 participants. The Summit comprised a panel of speakers who addressed AI and data analytics. Series 2 of PBS saw 240 participants and the session was focused on cybersecurity, while the GBS was focused on global business services and saw 126 participants. The final Series, attended by 65 participants, was a special session with MDEC. The PIKOM Tech Fair is part of the association’s engagement platform which is technically supported and funded by Fusionex. This initiative received endorsement by Fusionex to work with PIKOM in terms of the development of a virtual engagement platform, which basically involves shifting a physical environment onto a virtual platform whereby online sales, virtual exhibitions, presentations, online B2B meetings and appointments can be conducted. “The idea of the virtual engagement platform is to enable people to actually conduct business as they used to via a virtual platform, and to continue business activities,” explains Danny. The tech fair offers more than
18 MY•IT
20,000 products and enables online shopping via the virtual engagement platform, whereby customers can also enjoy discounts provided by sellers. “We are looking to have a second tech fair this coming year-end,” he added. PIKOM also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Asia e-University for the training of digital talents and graduates in the IT field. The association also had a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project with Huawei, loaning laptops to new vaccination centres. PIKOM also has a collaboration with TPM to produce an entrusted services provider (ESP) directory for the reference of endusers that lists micro-enterprises. “We are also working with Huawei and SME Association in terms of collaboration to grow the SME sector in the IT industry,” Danny said. The Malaysia Tech Month organised by PIKOM is dedicated to discuss about WCIT 2022, featuring various industry experts and leaders on topics on awareness and expectations for the event next year. PIKOM also worked closely with HRDF on the Penjana HRDF’s Place and Train Programme. “We have sent out information and raised awareness among our members on this programme that will allow their new hires, under certain criteria, to be trained free of charge, funded by HRDF,” Danny shared. To-date, there are 10 training programmes offered under PIKOM’s academy on a monthly basis in relation to Penjana HRDF training, which include project management, enterprise architecture, data analytics, cybersecurity, and e-commerce, among others. The programmes are scheduled to run until end-October 2021. However PIKOM is working with HRDF to possibly extend the availability of the courses until the year end.
WEBINAR SERIES Since last year, PIKOM’s seminars and events have gone online due to the pandemic situation. To-date the association has run more than 50 webinars over the last one and a half years. “We are not stopping here as there are a lot more topics that we want to talk about and share with our members as well as the industry,” Danny shared.
MEDIA COVERAGE Danny highlighted that PIKOM has been very visible in the news and has enjoyed ample media coverage over the last one year. Among other salient topics, the association also drove the message of making IT an essential services sector through media partners. Since the first MCO in 2020, PIKOM has released a total of 111 media releases with the support of media partners, to drive key messages and awareness as well as the importance of the tech industry for the nation and overall market.
BENEFITS AND VALUE OF BEING A PIKOM MEMBER Danny highlighted the benefits and value of being a PIKOM member which include a platform to advocate the interests of IT players, affiliations with local and global markets as well as associations, car fleet programme, passes to flagship events, training programmes, airline corporate rates, free publication of jobs in the IT market, business and economic strategic outlook, telco corporate package, and usage of PIKOM logo at events supported by PIKOM, among others. In concluding his keynote address, Danny expressed that PIKOM is doing its best to ensure that members and the industry will benefit from its initiatives, while remaining a very important voice on behalf of the tech industry.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 2021 In talking about the activities planned for the second half of 2021, Ong Kian Yew said, “There will be a combination of virtual and physical events.” PIKOM together with the CIO chapter will lend a helping hand to those in need of aid during these trying times. “Thus far, we have raised more than RM20,000 and as the funds are received by the association, we will disburse them as fast as possible. To-date, PIKOM has disbursed RM20,000 to the needy, and we continue to welcome contributions and donations,” said Ong. Ong said the GBS Awards is open for nominations for this year with categories available for both companies and individuals. The second awards programme that PIKOM is working in collaboration with MDEC is the MSC Malaysia APICTA Awards which has been around for the last 22 years and has more than 20 categories. PIKOM has been managing these awards for the last 5 years. PIKOM is also working on the Digital Economy and Job Market Report scheduled to be released in September 2021 – the most sought-after section being the job and salary report whereby PIKOM undertakes benchmarking. The report will be distributed to members free of charge. Another report that PIKOM has undertaken in collaboration with Nottingham University Malaysia is the GBS Talent Report scheduled to be released in the next few weeks, which includes talent requirements for the GBS industry. Danny also pointed out that the PIKOM’s MyIT magazine featured APICTA Award-winner NextMind AI and NEC Corporation of Malaysia. He urged members to look out for the next issue of the magazine which is scheduled to be released in September 2021. Ong encouraged members who are interested to be featured in the magazine to reach out for more details and a special package. PIKOM is also scheduled to launch the Women in Tech Chapter, which is limited to women operating in the tech industry. The Chapter EXCO will be sharing some of the programmes lined up. The Digital Infrastructure Committee, formed this year is set to hold various interesting events, including a guest speaker series in October 2021.
PIKOM Academy has a series of programmes lined up to train new hires on areas such as AI, cybersecurity, project management, UIUX marketing, IoT or outsourcing related courses, as well as enterprise architecture. Most of the programmes are free-of-charge. The virtual engagement platform provided by WITSA through PIKOM will be launched in September 2021, and will be free-of-charge for members until next year, after which fees will be charged. PIKOM Tech Market Place is available throughout the year 24x7, and is a marketplace in which members can enjoy the latest IT-related products, gadgets, and devices, with special promotions certain times of the year. For instance, special offers and discounts are available during the Merdeka promotion from 20 August 2021 to 20 September 2021. PIKOM Tech Fair will be happening in November 2021, and members are encouraged to utilise this event to promote their products and services. Webinars will continue to be held to promote learning and development among members. Members are reminded to take note of the PIKOM Unicorn Night which is scheduled for 5 November 2021. This event is a grand-scale event whereby awards are presented and when members of the industry gather to celebrate the successes of the year. PIKOM Leadership Summit is also in the pipeline whereby both technology providers and users of technology such as C-suite executives make this as a gathering point for the industry each year. Event details will be announced soon. The Future of Cybersecurity Summit (FOCS) is also poised to take place in November this year, themed “Cybersecurity in the Next Normal”. In December 2021, the international APICTA will take place on a virtual basis, hosted by Malaysia. Winners from around the Asia-Pacific region will participate in this international event. More information will be sent to members of PIKOM via email on the latest developments and events.
MY•IT 19
WHY JOIN US
AS PIKOM CORPORATE MEMBER?
02
Networking opportunities & B2B related events (to meet end users [CIO Chapter] & potential partners)
03
Participate in PIKOM’s Chapters & SIGs to collectively grow the respective area of focus
01
It’s the platform to grow your business through PIKOM's affiliation with local and global networks
04
Enjoy subsidized/ complimentary rates to our special learning events, training courses and workshops
05
Access to PIKOM’s Research Reports (ICT Strategic Review & ICT Job Market Outlook in Malaysia) & other publications
06
Priority for marketing and promotion opportunities through PIKOM’s initiatives and events
07
Use of PIKOM Logo to enhance member’s events
MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES & FEES Category
Entrance Fee
(One-time payment)
Annual Subscription
Ordinary Member
RM1,000
RM1,000
Associate Member
RM 500
RM 500
Overseas Member
RM2,000
RM2,000
Note: Annual membership term begins in January of the following year. For further information on membership category and subscription, please contact membership@pikom.org.my or 03-7622 0079
List of New Members from February to August 2021 Company URL SUSE Software Solutions International Services Limited Red Hat Malaysia Sdn Bhd GreenPro Global Capital Sdn Bhd Wilstech Sdn Bhd e-Safe Systems Sdn Bhd Zadara Storage, Inc Q3 Aurelia Sdn Bhd RAMS Solutions Sdn Bhd Catapultz Group Sdn Bhd Icompucare Global Services Sdn Bhd Microdium Distribution Sdn Bhd Cognitive Digital Sdn Bhd Rackspace Technology Malaysia Sdn Bhd Twimbit Sdn Bhd PureSoftware Sdn Bhd Iforte Intelligence Sdn Bhd Rethink Sdn Bhd Angkasax Innovation Sdn Bhd Sunway Quantum Sdn Bhd Knight Information Solutions Sdn Bhd OrangeFIN Asia Sdn Bhd Dynamicbit Solutions Unique Central Sdn Bhd Technology Park Malaysia Sdn Bhd Veritas Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd Liberty Technology Resources Sdn Bhd Panduit Singapore Pte Ltd AceTeam Networks Sdn Bhd Infoblox Singapore Pte Ltd China Mobile International (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd Beyond Limits SG Pte Ltd Iron Mountain Sdn Bhd Prosoft Technology (Asia Pacific) Sdn Bhd Agensi Pekerjaan Korn Ferry (M) Sdn Bhd Novo Reperio Sdn Bhd Splunk Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd Steerquest Sdn Bhd Zetta Logic Sdn Bhd MT Microtel Technology Sdn Bhd Clarivate (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd MGS Offshore Sdn Bhd I-XEON TECHNOLOGIES SDN BHD Innovatic Commerce Solution Sdn Bhd Blacksmith Data Sdn Bhd Digital Way Academy Sdn Bhd Cyberview Sdn Bhd Cloud Mile Sdn Bhd JOCOM MSHOPPING SDN BHD IP ServerOne Solutions Sdn Bhd Idifynetz Sdn Bhd OS HRS Sdn Bhd Trovicor Technology Sdn Bhd Talbotiq Technologies Sdn Bhd Green Packet Berhad
www.suse.com www.redhat.com/en www.greenprocapital.com www.wilstech.com www.e-safecompliance.com www.zadara.com www.q3aurelia.com www.ramssol.com www.robin-ooi.com www.icompucare.com www.microdium.com cognitive-digital.com www.rackspace.com www.twimbit.com puresoftware.com www.iforte.com.my www.rethink.com www.angkasax-innovation.com www.sunwayquantum.com.my www.knight.my/is www.orangefinasia.com www.dynamicbit.biz www.uniqcen.com.my www.tpm.com.my www.veritas.com www.libertytech-resources.com www.panduit.com www.aceteamnetworks.com www.infoblox.com www.cmi.chinamobile.com www.beyond.ai www.ironmountain.com.my www.tripwire.com www.kornferry.com www.novoreperio.com www.splunk.com www.steerquest.com zettalog.com/contact.html www.microteltechnology.com clarivate.com mgsoffshore.com www.ixeon.com.my www.eshopliveasia.com www.blacksmithdata.io www.digitalway.net www.cyberview.com.my www.mile.cloud www.jocom.my www.ipserverone.com www.idifynetz.com www.oshrs.com trovicor.com www.talbotiq.com www.greenpacket.com
MY•IT 21
•••••
PIKOM IN THE NEWS
Businesswire PIKOM Tech Fair Returns – Bigger & Better, Back With Bargains & Business Opportunities
New Straits Times #TECH: PIKOM’s first digital summit
The SunDaily Old gadgets given new purpose
The Star IT players welcome Recovery Plan; want support services to be allowed immediately
New Straits Times E-commerce merchants must invest in marketing for next growth level
Malay Mail Facebook and Google’s undersea cable to bypass Malaysia in Asia Pacific
The Malaysian Reserve Gadget sales up during lockdown
PIKOM PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS: OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2021
PIKOM Tech Fair 2021 November 2021
22 MY•IT
PIKOM Leadership Summit 9 November 2021
Future of Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity in the Next Normal 10 November 2021
PIKOM Unicorn Night 2021 19 November 2021
International APICTA 2021 15 December 2021
