Star Media Group Bhd (SMG) received the 2023 World Digital Media Leadership Award from the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific for its outstanding contribution to digital media.

“SMG has fully embraced the digital age. It has allowed us to shape the future of media in Malaysia – crafting narratives and telling stories that reflect the nation’s pulse and educate, connect and enhance awareness among the people on critical issues,” said SMG group chief executive officer Alex Yeow.

“All of this while leveraging on the various digital platforms available today,” he said.

“This award is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our digital team at SMG.”

He added that he would continue to encourage his team to lead in the information environment while being constantly aware of their responsibility to the people.

“We understand the large responsibility we shoulder to remain accountable for delivering accurate, unbiased and quality news,” he said

Yeow was speaking at the “2023 World Digital Economy & Technology (WDET) Summit: Pioneering the Digital Future for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth” yesterday.

Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak launched the event with a keynote address.

Also present was the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific and World Digital Chamber president, Tan Sri Michael Yeoh.

In his speech, Ahmad Fuzi raised concerns over the perils of technology, including the digital divide, cybersecurity and data privacy.

“The digital divide exists because not everyone has access to the Internet.

“Cybersecurity is a concern because the increased use of digital technologies has exposed us to cyber crimes.

“We need to ensure that our systems are secure and have the appropriate policies to protect us.

“As we collect more data, we need to ensure that there is protection for individual privacy,” Ahmad Fuzi said.

He added that with the widespread use of artificial intelligence, there would be job displacement.

“We need to ensure that there are reskilling and upskilling efforts to ensure a future-ready workforce,” he said.

Ahmad Fuzi said Malaysia should adopt a proactive approach to addressing these challenges.

“Collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors and academia can lead to formulating policies and regulations that foster innovation while safeguarding the interests of individuals and society.

“In this regard, I fully share the widely held view that ultimately, we humans should be in control and able to govern technology, not the other way around,” he added.

According to Ahmad Fuzi, the state-owned, government-linked company Digital Penang could make a significant contribution to the Malaysian digital economy.

“It can help to increase the number of digital businesses in Penang to create more jobs and boost economic growth.

“Digital Penang can draw more foreign investments into the digital sector in Penang to generate new technologies and expertise, improve the delivery of public services in Penang by making them more efficient and accessible to the public, and create a digital ecosystem in Penang that would attract more start-ups and entrepreneurs,” Ahmad Fuzi said.

A total of 26 recipients received the World Digital Media awards.

They included Zezz FundQ and Silverlake Group founder and executive chairman Goh Peng Ooi (Outstanding World Digital Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award of the Year), Affin Bank Bhd president and chief executive officer Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah Wan Ali (World Digital Bank Distinguished CEO Award), and Supermax Corporation Bhd co-founder Datuk Wira Cheryl Tan (World Distinguished Digital Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award).

Sponsored by Silverlake, OneConnect Financial Technology and Kuok Brothers, the 2023 WDET Summit featured two plenary sessions and four track sessions that delved into essential topics, including strategies for fostering digital economic growth, trends in cutting-edge technologies, and sectoral sessions covering Digital Health, Digital Education, Digital Commerce, and the Impact of Digital Technologies on Sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance).