Budget 2027 To Support Malaysia’s Space Technology Industry - MEASAT
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- Budget 2027’s emphasis on sovereign digital infrastructure, innovation and local expertise will support Malaysia’s efforts to build a competitive space technology industry, satellite service provider MEASAT said.
Its chief operating officer (COO) Yau Chyong Lim said initiatives such as the proposed Sovereign AI Cloud, RM6 billion for research, development and commercialisation, and RM8 billion for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) would support the development of technologies and solutions with commercial potential.
“Reliable satellite infrastructure operated domestically supports these efforts by ensuring communications continuity, maintaining access to strategic services and improving digital connectivity nationwide,” he said in a statement today.
Yau said the budget’s focus on inclusive digital access was also important in strengthening national resilience and improving access to essential services.
He said the expansion of the JENDELA initiative to underserved communities, including along transport corridors, and continued investment in digital healthcare were expected to benefit the public directly.
“Through its CONNECTme platform, MEASAT now serves more than 500,000 Malaysians in remote areas, enabling digital solutions such as rural telehealth services,” he said.
Yau said MEASAT remained committed to working with the government and industry players to translate Budget 2027 priorities into tangible and measurable outcomes.
Such collaboration would strengthen Malaysia’s sovereign technology capabilities and support the target of contributing RM10 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) from the space sector by 2030, he added.
When tabling Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Finance Minister, said the proposed Sovereign AI Cloud would ensure that citizens’ data and the country’s strategic information remained under Malaysian control.
He also announced that next year’s JENDELA projects would include extending 4G coverage to all Orang Asli villages and providing internet access along 7,000 kilometres of roads and 1,700 kilometres of railway lines.
MEASAT is a Malaysian satellite service provider that also delivers broadband access to remote communities through its CONNECTme platform.
-- BERNAMA