LANGKAWI: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that Malaysia is on track to commercially roll out 5G technology in the third quarter of 2020.
Launching the 5G Malaysia Demonstration Projects here on Sunday, Dr Mahathir said that the projects mark a significant beginning in the nation’s journey towards strengthening its economy to achieve sustainable growth, and sharing its prosperity with all the people.
“(This will also) ensure that we achieve our target of providing every single citizen in this nation a decent standard of living by 2030,” he added.
The Prime Minister said that preparations to deploy 5G are progressing well since he launched the ‘5G Malaysia Showcase’ in April 2019.
He stressed that economically, 5G could serve as the infrastructure for innovative growth.
“The convergence of 5G and different industrial sectors such as agriculture, education, healthcare, manufacturing, smart transportation and tourism, presents new opportunities for industries, society and individuals to advance their digital ambitions and deliver new and better services,” he added.
Dr Mahathir underscored that technology will continue to change the way people do things.
“(We) risk being left behind if we do not change as well. On the other hand, it offers new, exciting challenges as well as immeasurable opportunities if we are capable of embracing them,” he said.
Malaysia, he said, needs to be agile, for if it is stagnant, it will not be able to compete in the global economy.
Dr Mahathir said that Malaysia, which is endowed with an abundance of resources and prospects, is poised to embark on a new era of growth.
"While this is within our grasp, we are at a tipping point from where we can either rise or falter," he told the audience at the Langkawi International Convention Centre, here.
However, the Prime Minister noted that the interconnectedness of the economy with the rest of the world may not make Malaysia immune to global economic headwinds.
"(But) it is what we continue to strive towards individually and collectively every day to outperform and push boundaries, that will allow us to stay resilient and stride forward confidently," Dr Mahathir said.
He also spoke of the need to equip the nation's workforce with skills of the future and continue to collaborate in the new spirit of 'coopetition' to face the Fourth Industrial Revolution.