DUBAI: Malaysia is introducing two flagship initiatives which will drive and catalyse the digital economy as well as investment opportunities in the country and the region.

       Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said one of it is the DE Rantau programme, which is aimed at establishing Malaysia as the preferred Digital Nomad Hub in a bid to boost digital adoption and promote digital professional mobility and tourism across the country.

       He said the other is the Malaysia Digital Trade programme, which is set to drive interoperability and greater harmonisation of standards and regulatory approaches, to facilitate trade within and across borders.

       “The Digital Nomad Hub is a departure from the location-based approach under MSC Malaysia. Now it is not just the Kuala Lumpur or Cyberjaya Super Corridor.

       “It should not be exclusive, (or) location based. (Having it) throughout the country, that is the part of major departure. Of course, if we want to encourage digital nomad, we must have the facilities in those areas, especially if you want to promote tourism in places such as Sipadan, Langkawi or Tioman,” he said.

       Annuar was speaking at a press conference after the launch of Malaysia Digital Economy Week in conjunction with the Expo 2020 Dubai at the Malaysia Pavilion here yesterday. Earlier, the minister also announced that MSC Malaysia would be enhanced and renamed as Malaysia Digital.

       On the Digital Trade programme, Malaysia Digital Economy Corp (MDEC) chief executive officer Mahadhir Aziz said the main objective of the programme was to support cross-border trading.

       He said this initiative would involve many forms, including having a digital system that can transact data between countries, as well as a digital trade agreement that Malaysia had to subscribe to in order to function with other countries which have ratified the same agreement.

       “We have to look at cross-border trust in data that we are sharing as well. In Malaysia, and as part of Malaysia Digital, we will begin with a national e-invoicing project.

       “This has been stated in the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDIGITAL), whereby we will look at reducing and minimising leakage of income and revenue for the government while we do trades,” he said.

       Elaborating further, he said that according to data from MDEC and the Inland Revenue Board, the government will have at least an estimated RM2.1bil possible in additional revenue once e-invoicing is in place, which will take three to six years depending on other countries.

       The Malaysia Digital Economy Week is part of the 26 weekly thematic trade and business programmes organised by the Malaysia Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai. MDEC is targeting to attract investments worth more than RM300mil during the event. — Bernama