Perak: The Land of Grace and A Dynamic Digital Investment Destination 

What are Digital Perak's digital investment aspirations?
We’re actively seeking digital investments, which will greatly contribute to the state's socioeconomic development plan, known as Perak Sejahtera 2030.

To achieve this, one of the first initiatives is to adopt the successful Global Business Services (GBS) model seen in places like Penang and Klang Valley. This will enable Ipoh to emerge as a new GBS location, attracting local and international multinational corporations.

By developing GBS@Ipoh, we aim to stimulate economic growth and create high-value job opportunities for local graduates. Another initiative is the transformation of Digital Perak to be a value-based one-stop agency with a focus to bring in more digital investments.

Why is Perak the ultimate digital investment hotspot?
We believe with well-established transportation network and infrastructure, businesses will thrive, besides benefiting from cost-effective operations and a competitive business environment. Moreover, Perak is already home to successful private-sector operations in HR, finance, and software development, which will potentially catalyse digital investment growth especially in the GBS sector.

These factors, on top of its strategic location between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, liveability, multilingual talent, abundance in utilities or energy and multiple office spaces add to the appeal of Perak as a digital investment destination.

Can you elaborate more on the initiatives and progress in attracting digital investment into the state of Perak?
Impactful initiatives are underway to attract more digital investments into the state. Our focus is on creating a thriving GBS ecosystem. We're also prioritising talent attraction and retention, ensuring a skilled workforce and liveability to curb migration of the working population. Dedicated GBS facilities with enhanced digital infrastructure will be available for digital services companies.

At the same time, we’re collaborating closely with the state’s Economic Planning Unit, Invest Perak, and Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP) to implement robust telecommunications infrastructure, including high-speed broadband, which is crucial for the digital industry. The exciting GBS@Ipoh project is currently in its preliminary planning stage.

Meanwhile, the Perak State Digital Economy Blueprint 2023 is nearing completion and is set to be finished by October 2023. Considerable progress has already been made with projects such as the Ipoh Smart City, Jendela (National Digital Network), and the launch of DE Rantau.

Perak has become the fifth participant in the DE Rantau programme by MDEC, which aims to transform Malaysia into a digital nomad hub for professionals.

Are there any initiatives addressing ESG in the digital investment space for Perak?
Ipoh City Council is spearheading the Ipoh Smart City initiatives, incorporating progress indicators from ISO 37122:2019 to advance sustainable development goals (SDG). This includes promoting economic growth, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and reducing inequality.

With reference to the Ipoh Smart City Blueprint, there are existing collaborations with companies such as TM One, through the concept and approach of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programmes to leverage on the expertise of private companies, and to explore technologies such as big data. Another initiative with a private company is the Park@Perak application that has been deployed to all PBTs in Perak.

How do you plan to upskill/reskill digital talents in Perak?
Malaysia TVET Corridor, an initiative spanning 62 TVET institutions across five districts - Perak Tengah, Kinta, Larut, Matang and Selama, Manjung, and Kuala Kangsar, is focused on reskilling, upskilling, and cross-skilling the youth, establishing itself as an education hub. This initiative fulfils the industry's demands for skilled graduates and aims to create a highly skilled digital workforce that will attract investors to the state. With abundant talented individuals, Perak becomes the prime choice for investment opportunities.

Are there any additional plans in the pipeline?
Efforts are ongoing to bring 5G telecommunications technology to Perak, and the relevant agencies such as Ipoh City Council, PKNP, Digital Perak, and Digital Nasional Berhad are committed to its successful expansion. The first phase involves 106 sites, and the second phase, which began in January 2023, will involve additional districts including Batu Gajah, Kampar, Manjung as well as Tanjung Malim, Taiping and Kerian to achieve 77.2% 5G coverage in populated areas by the end of 2023. This expansion will greatly benefit the digital industry by improving bandwidth and connectivity.

Furthermore, attracting, developing, and retaining talent for these digital industries and initiatives is a priority, and collaboration with Pusat Aspirasi Anak Perak (PASAK) Institutions of Higher Learning, and industry partners are underway.

Impactful initiatives are being implemented in Perak to attract more digital investments with the aim of establishing a flourishing GBS ecosystem.