05/06/2025

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THURSDAY | JUNE 5, 2025

Ministry to push nationwide collaboration on smart cities

Lima’25 a resounding success with RM11b deals PETALING JAYA: The 17th edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima’25) con cluded on a high note with RM11 billion in transactions signed over five dynamic days. Co-organised by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and Global Exhibitions & Conferences Sdn Bhd (GEC), Lima’25 lived up to its theme, “Innovate Today, Thrive Tomorrow”, by setting new benchmarks in participation, innovation and impact. This year’s event held from May 20-24 welcomed more than 860 companies from 24 countries, featured 15 country pavilions and hosted dignitaries from 64 nations, making it the most internationally represented edition in Lima’s history. With 43 aircraft and 31 ships from both local and foreign countries, alongside an expanded programme across four exhibition halls and interactive themed zones, the exhibition drew tens of thousands of trade and public visitors. GEC managing director Abd Hafiz Abu Bakar said: “Success is built on strong pillars – hard work, innovation, learning, and unity. By bringing these elements together at Lima’25, we created a platform where progress is possible and opportunities are open to all.” In congratulating Mindef and GEC for successfully organising the event, Kedah State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Entre preneurship Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Salleh Saidin said Lima’25 has delivered far-reaching economic and social benefits for Langkawi and greater Kedah, contributing positively to their goals for Visit Kedah Year 2025. “It has brought the world to our doorstep, creating invaluable exposure and business opportunities for our local SMEs. The spillover effects extend across key sectors – tourism, hospitality, logistics and services – enabling us to unlock the full potential of Kedah’s vibrant economy. I am happy to say that restaurants and eateries were always full on a daily basis, and almost all establishments in Langkawi benefitted from Lima’25, directly or indirectly,” he added. At Lima’25, numerous strategic collaborations were forged between local and international players through memorandums of understanding, letters of intent and contracts, contributing to a total transaction value of RM11 billion. A total of 1,400 business-to-business and 920 business-to-government meetings were facilitated, and nine conferences and two industrial competitions were organised.

o We’ll engage with mayors in states to eventually establish central coordinating body at national level by year end: Gobind

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will engage with city mayors in all states in the coming months to discuss and formulate a cooperation plan for smart city initiatives. Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said discussions among all states are crucial to compile a comprehensive overview of existing services and initiatives and to identify how each state can adopt and adapt successful smart city initiatives from other states. He said the goal is to eventually establish a central coordinating body at the national level, and efforts are under way to put this in place by year-end. Gobind said some states are already moving forward with these initiatives, which are the result of interstate collaboration and ongoing investment efforts. “While progressing with our current efforts, we have also been looking for digital assets already available across the country to ensure we fully realise their potential. Over the past six months, I have personally visited Penang, Putrajaya, Bukit Jalil, Johor and Sarawak – which have been developing smart solutions, not just recently, but consistently over the past five to six years. “The technology, the solutions and the community already exist. What is clear is that we have the foundation and knowledge to build the digital cities and we need to stay relevant in the future,” he told delegates at the launch of the 100 day countdown to Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025 (SCEKL25) yesterday. Gobind said the nationwide collaboration is aimed at demonstrating the transformative potential of smart city technology – how it can reshape lives, envision the future, conduct business and govern the country more effectively. “This conversation has become central to the Ministry of Digital. As we look globally for insights and guidance in this rapidly evolving technological landscape, we recognise the urgent need to build strong foundations, structures upon which sustainable, smart and even AI-driven cities can grow. “Over the past year, our focus has been on establishing these very structures,” Gobind said,

From left: Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation CEO Anuar Fariz Fadzil, Gobind, Digital Ministry Deputy Secretary General (Digital Development) MA Sivanesan Marimuthu and Digital Nasional Bhd CEO Datuk Azman Ismail at the launch of the 100-day countdown to Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025.

startups and tech firms in developing scalable AI solutions for smart cities,” Gobind said. Touching on SCEKL25, Gobind said the event is set to propel Malaysia onto the global stage by bringing together innovators, investors, and key discussions from around the world. It will serve as a platform to initiate meaningful conversations on how Malaysia can demon strate leadership in the emerging space of smart AI cities. “Hosting SCEKL25 is part of a broader leadership agenda. It positions Malaysia as a regional hub for smart city innovation, public private collaboration, and inclusive digital development. “SCEKL25 will bring together over 10,000 delegates, 300 exhibitors, and participants from more than 20 countries. It will serve as a platform for policy-to-project collaboration, investor engagement, technology showcases, and real-world urban solutions – from smart mobility to predictive energy systems,” Gobind said. SCEKL25, which will take place from Sept 17 to 19, is Southeast Asia’s first edition from the globally renowned Smart City Expo World Congress Barcelona. It will carry the theme “AI Cities: Shaping Our Digital Future”, reflecting Malaysia’s bold vision to build intelligent, inclusive and sustainable cities powered by cutting-edge technologies. The expo, which is co-organised by MDEC and DNB for the Ministry of Digital, will bring together global leaders, investors, tech innovators, and policymakers to explore how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping urban life across Asean.

adding that the ministry’s ambition is to lead the next wave of urban innovation where artificial intelligence (AI) is used to build smarter, safer and more inclusive cities. He noted that the smart city vision is grounded in responsibility, guided by ethics and driven by purpose, aiming to create intelligent, human-centric and sustainable cities where technology empowers communities and drives meaningful change. This agenda, Gobind said, is built on four strategic pillars – AI cities, sustainable and resilient cities, digital entrepreneurship and economic development, and community em powerment through digital solutions. He noted that Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), through the Malaysia Digital (MD) initiative, has streamlined in centives and strengthened investor confidence. As of July 2024, 140 local AI solution providers have joined the MD ecosystem, generating over RM1 billion in revenue. In 2024, Malaysia recorded RM163.6 billion in digital investments, more than triple the previous year, demonstrating investor confi dence in the country’s stable, pro-business environment, Gobind said. Meanwhile, he added, digital exports are growing, with over RM1.9 billion in oppor tunities across 11 countries. “In just two years, 5G coverage has reached over 82% of populated areas, supporting use cases from traffic management and public safety to environmental monitoring. 5G penetration rate is at more than 60%, indicating a strong adoption among public and enterprise users. “Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) also supports

Visit gives insight into best practices in Japanese halal meat industry KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka, highlighted by a visit to Sanda Shokuniku Kosha, a halal abattoir in Kita-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo, Japan, offers a valuable opportunity to gain insights into the best practices of Japan’s halal meat industry. region’s only halal-accredited facility and is renowned for producing halal Kobe beef. “This visit offers us a valuable opportunity to gain deeper insights into the best practices of the Japanese halal meat industry, covering processing methods, hygiene standards, traceability systems, and the use of modern technology that complies with food safety requirements,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday. He expressed his appreciation to the management of Sanda Shokuniku Kosha for their strong commitment to upholding international halal standards and enhancing the regional halal ecosystem. He added that such strategic collaborations are vital in Malaysia’s efforts to reinforce its Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the abattoir is the

position as a global halal hub. In addition, Mohamad said his ministry will continue to focus on empowering the ruminant industry this year. “We aim to increase local participation in this sector, leveraging modern technology and halal assurance as key foundations for success,” he added. – Bernama