KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 6): Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has adopted a 5G private network at its Regasification Terminal Sungai Udang (RGTSU) in Melaka, making it the first in Malaysia to adopt the 5G technology for enterprise use.

Supported by the Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the deployment of the 5G private network is expected to optimise the national oil company’s internal operations and induce industry-wide change.

In a statement on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the 5G private network exhibited aspirations under the Madani economy and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030) framework, which sets technology as the catalyst for a thriving and prosperous nation. 

“As we embark on this transformative journey, it’s crucial to acknowledge the integral role cutting-edge technologies play; 5G’s fast connectivity, low latency and capacity to handle massive data flows will empower our industries to innovate, compete and excel on a global scale,” said Fadillah.

He noted that the deployment of the 5G private network also sets the stage further for collaborative developments among the government, the private sector and the academia to unlock the potential of 5G technology fully. 

“Additionally, through Madani economy and the NIMP 2030, focus will be given to nurturing local talents in ensuring the workforce possesses adequate skills and expertise to drive forward the digital future,” he said.

Currently, MCMC is working closely with mobile service providers to deploy 5G standalone networks that will foster more use case development across industries in Malaysia.

As of September, Malaysia’s 5G network coverage in populated areas stood at 70.2%, with 5G subscriptions totalling 2.49 million, translating to a 7.4% penetration rate.

Petronas senior vice president of project delivery and technology Datuk Bacho Pilong said that the deployment of the 5G private network at RGTSU in Melaka has improved Petronas’ operational efficiency and safety, as well as supporting its business and sustainability targets.

“Our strategic adoption of 5G technology sets us ahead in the energy industry. By combining 5G with the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, we’re putting ‘Open Petronas’ as among leaders in the global technological race, while ensuring we meet the demands of supplying safe, reliable, cost-optimised and emission-abated energy solutions for Malaysia and our customers globally,” said Bacho.

To date, Malaysia has received recognition from independent analytics companies such as Opensignal and Ookla, for its efforts to become a global leader in 5G connectivity.

Malaysia is also on track to achieve its target of 80% of 5G network coverage in populated areas by the end of 2023.

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