PUTRAJAYA (April 24): Several important developments related to Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), including the appointment of its board members and the direction of the agency, will be announced on Thursday, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi, who is also the unity government spokesman, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Wednesday's Cabinet meeting emphasised the implementation of the 5G network in the country.

“Among the matters agreed is for (Digital Minister) Gobind Singh Deo to attend an event with DNB in Penang where he will make some announcements regarding the appointment of board members and the direction of DNB,” he told a press conference on Wednesday.

Fahmi also said that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) will sign a memorandum of understanding very soon to expedite the adoption of 5G networks specifically for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.

He said the prime minister also emphasised the benefits of 5G not only to the people, but also to the adoption and implementation of the network for the MSME industry.

DNB is a special-purpose vehicle company set up in 2021 by the Finance Ministry to drive the development of 5G infrastructure in Malaysia. It is currently the sole owner of the 5G spectrum network, and will soon operate with a second network that has yet to be finalised.

Fahmi said more than 35% of all telecommunication users subscribed to 5G packages as of April 17, but the adoption by the industrial sector and MSME needs to be accelerated.

“Next week, if all goes well, there will be some additional announcements regarding the implementation of the 5G network... this will give a clear direction and also related to the dual network that was announced before. The dual network policy will continue and a follow-up announcement will be made by next week,” he said.

On another development, Fahmi said the Cabinet was also informed about the success of the 2024 KL20 Summit which took place from April 22 to 23 with several significant announcements.

In addition to the positive feedback about the KL20 format which is seen as coincidental and suitable, Fahmi said the prime minister wants several things to be prioritised and expedited specifically related to the issue of artificial intelligence (AI) and the semiconductor sector.

He said the prime minister also insisted that the KL20 event will have a positive impact on the future of Malaysian industry and economy, with follow-up action to be announced soon.