In November 2025, the Tech for Good Institute (TFGI) and the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) convened a Policy Roundtable bringing together government agencies, digital platforms, academia, and industry associations to explore effective partnerships between digital platforms and government for public service delivery. The discussion examined how to maximise reach, efficiency, and equity as Malaysia’s digital economy advances toward contributing RM70 billion to GDP by 2025.
Moderators & Participants
Moderators and Scene-setter:
- Citra H Nasruddin, Programme Director, Tech for Good Institute
- Fairoz Ahmad, Programme Fellow, Tech for Good Institute
- Erlanggasakti Ubaszti Putra, Programme Analyst, Tech for Good Institute
Key Participants:
- Arifah Sharifuddin, Institute Director, Tech for Good Institute
- Kian Yew Ong, The National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM), Chief Executive Officer
- Nazliyah Mohd Ali – TalentCorp, VP, Sector Development, MyMAHIR
- Dr Andi Rossi – Futurise, Acting Head, Innovation Ecosystem
- Mak Kum Shi – SME Association, National Council Member
- Hazim Faizi Sidek – MDEC, Head of Cross-Border Rules, Digital Trade
- Dr Wan Khatina Nawawi – EconWorks, Managing Director
- Graciely Estefanie Rodriguez O’Hara – NAIO, Executive AI Policy
- Tengku Azrul Tengku Azhar – ByteDance, Head of Public Policy (E-Commerce)
- Arinah Najwa Ahmad Said – Grab Malaysia, Public Affairs Director
- Afiq Ismaizam – Grab Malaysia, Public Affairs
- Ngoh Chee Hung – HELP University, Director of Corporate Information Center
- Esther Low – Kabel, Marketing Lead
Key Insights
1. Platforms as Service Delivery Multipliers: Leveraging Existing Infrastructure
A key takeaway from the session was this crucial observation: apps catered for public services are far less common on Malaysian phones than multi-faceted platforms like Grab, Shopee, or Lazada. Participants noted that while specialised apps serve essential functions, commercial platforms benefit from daily user engagement, which creates opportunities for service integration. Rather than competing for user attention, participants explored how public services could be thoughtfully integrated into platforms people already use. The BUDI fuel subsidy program exemplifies this approach—by integrating verification into the Touch ‘n Go platform, eligible Malaysians can access subsidised fuel seamlessly at the pump without repeated authentication. Touch ‘n Go was highlighted for its success in integrating services, with participants noting the platform’s ability to deliver initiatives while maintaining strong user engagement through daily use.
Beyond purely digital offerings, technology companies are increasingly investing in physical infrastructure that delivers significant public value. A prime example is Grab’s deployment of mapping technology, which uses specialised camera systems mounted on vehicles to continuously monitor road conditions.
GrabMaps’ CartaCam technology illustrates evolving collaboration models. Initially developed for commercial navigation, the platform now supports infrastructure monitoring, enabling drivers to identify road conditions along their daily routes , such as pothole detection. This data can also be fed back to government agencies for follow-up actions. Participants acknowledged this represents promising pathways for leveraging commercial infrastructure toward public benefit, while noting that coordination across government tiers remains an area for continued dialogue.
2. Data Sharing and Trust: Navigating the Governance Trilemma
A candid discussion emerged around what the session’s economists characterised as a fundamental “trilemma” in digital governance: the challenge of simultaneously achieving trust (data sharing for public benefit), privacy (individual data protection), and accountability (enforcement and compliance). Platforms possess valuable real-time market intelligence that could meaningfully enhance government policymaking. E-commerce platforms could enable more responsive inflation tracking to supplement the Department of Statistics’ monthly Consumer Price Index. In contrast, Grab’s platform data can provide early indicators of labour-market shifts. However, platform representatives expressed understandable concerns about data sharing, given that Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) does not currently bind government agencies in the same way it governs private-sector entities. The conversation also touched on Malaysia’s substantial informal economy, estimated at 30-40% of GDP, where cash-based transactions persist partly due to considerations around formalisation.
Historical experience from Malaysia’s financial sector offers a perspective. During the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis, banks, which had historically been wary of sharing data with governments about bad-performing loans, realised that data sharing during this period helped the government assess the state of the financial sector and provide the necessary support. Post-crisis, Bank Negara established structured reporting frameworks that enabled proactive monitoring. Participants reflected that thoughtfully designed platform data-sharing arrangements with appropriate safeguards could support more responsive policymaking while addressing stakeholder considerations.
3. Regulatory Innovation and Meaningful Consultation
Futurise’s National Regulatory Sandbox model emerged as a constructive approach to addressing the challenge of regulatory frameworks keeping pace with technological innovation. Rather than forcing new technologies into pre-digital legal structures, the sandbox allows controlled experimentation with “soft law” provisions that can be refined before permanent regulation. The healthcare telemedicine case during COVID-19 demonstrated this approach: platforms operating in legal grey areas worked with the Ministry of Health to develop temporary regulatory frameworks, pilot them, gather feedback, and evolve toward more permanent structures. On consultation quality, stakeholders acknowledged recent improvements while noting persistent challenges. The distinction between genuine consultation, where stakeholder input meaningfully shapes outcomes, and performative consultation, where feedback is solicited but decisions are predetermined, resonated throughout the session. Several participants emphasised that earlier, more substantive engagement during policy design stages would strengthen both policy quality and implementation effectiveness.
The sandbox approach extends beyond high-profile sectors. Futurise’s collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare on on-demand childcare platforms illustrates how regulatory innovation can be adapted across emerging service categories. Participants noted this methodology offers a balanced pathway—enabling innovation while developing appropriate safeguards tailored to each sector’s unique considerations.
4. Foundational Capacity: Human Capital and Digital Infrastructure
Perhaps the most sobering discussion centred on Malaysia’s digital education infrastructure. Participants from the education sector shared that even in Kuala Lumpur, some primary schools use computers that are 12-13 years old, pre-cloud-computing era technology. Teacher capacity presents another layer of challenge: while Malaysia has invested in digital education platforms like DELIMa and Google Classroom licenses, adoption remains optional rather than integral to teaching practice. As Singapore introduces AI literacy in Primary 1 and regional competitors advance their digital capabilities, Malaysia risks a widening skills gap that will impact the talent pipeline for both government digital services and platform companies. TalentCorp’s MyMAHIR platform represents efforts to map skills disruption across 22 sectors. At the same time, innovative policies, such as the one-to-three ratio (companies hiring expatriates must train three Malaysian interns), aim to ensure knowledge transfer. The discussion on workforce development also highlighted the persistent academia-industry gap, where universities teach technologies on 5-7-year curriculum revision cycles while industry needs evolve on 18-24-month cycles. Participants emphasised that addressing these foundational questions—digital infrastructure in schools, teacher capacity, curriculum responsiveness—is essential to the broader conversation about platform-government partnerships and digital economy development.
