KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian telecommunications companies must be ready to transform in response to rapid advancements in global communications technology, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said today.
Fahmi said beyond current challenges posed by social media, emerging technologies such as quantum communication, quantum encryption and satellite communication are set to reshape the telecommunications landscape over the next five to ten years.
“Quantum communication and satellite communication are not far off, possibly within five to ten years, or even sooner.
“With new communication modes come new challenges, not only in security but also economically.
“One of the biggest challenges for the communications sector is that telecom companies must adapt,” he said in his speech at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) scholarship awards ceremony here today.
The ceremony was attended by Communications secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah and MCMC chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh.
During the event, the MCMC awarded scholarships to 25 outstanding students under its MCMC Legasi and MCMC Care programmes.
He said the MCMC Care scholarship provides 20 high-potential students from underprivileged backgrounds the opportunity to pursue higher education at local public universities with full funding, ensuring that valuable talent is not sidelined due to financial constraints.
Fahmi also called on the MCMC to increase the number of scholarship recipients next year, citing the country’s future as closely tied to digital infrastructure and technological advancements, including artificial intelligence.
“There are several areas we must emphasise, and some of these students may pursue studies in these fields.
“One is quantum communication or quantum encryption, a very new area offered by only a few universities and part of the future of secure communication,” he said.
In a press conference later, Fahmi said five Palestinian students would also receive MCMC scholarships to study engineering, including network or radio engineering, to support the reconstruction of Palestine, including Gaza.
He said this is aimed at ensuring a more sustainable future for Palestinians, particularly in terms of its communications infrastructure.
“The MCMC will work with the Palestinian Embassy here to identify suitable candidates for network engineering or radio engineering studies at Multimedia University,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
