KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian digital consumers are spending an average of almost 14 hours a day on digital devices with 87 per cent of them on the Internet.
Ernst & Young Advisory Services Sdn Bhd (EY), a member of the global EY organisation, said however there were perceived gaps in the country's digital maturity, experience and affordability.
Its Asia-Pacific: Digital Nations 2016 Malaysia online survey, which forms the report titled 'Decoding the Malaysian Digital DNA: From Smart to Savvy', showed that 80 per cent of the respondents are using social/networking media daily to conduct online research for products and services.
"However, more than half of them think that Malaysia's digital economy is less advanced than leading nations. They are also dissatisfied with the Internet speed quality and find the cost of accessing data unreasonable," EY said in a statement today.
It said the survey also showed that cybersecurity remains a concern with 83 per cent of the respondents wanting organisations to disclose how they use online information while 69 per cent are seeking regulatory enforcement on customer information.
EY ASEAN Digital Advisory Leader, Jonathan Rees, said organisations needed to ensure that their business strategy fits the digital world to win the hearts and minds of Malaysian consumers.
The online survey conducted in May 2016, includes 1,018 digitally active respondents in Malaysia aged between 18 and 69 years and have resided in the country for at least a year.
The report is available on EY's website at www.ey.com/my. - BERNAMA