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FEATURE
| November-December. 2025
A connected ASEAN
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ASEAN’ s Community Vision 2045 relies on digital transformation and connectivity Malaysia ranks second among ASEAN member States in the inaugural GSMA Digital Nations Index 2025 Bridging infrastructure gaps, harmonising regional policies, and leveraging international cooperation are key to a unified digital ASEAN
BY ZAFIRAH ZAFRUDDIN
THE year 2025 is a definitive milestone for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations( ASEAN). As existing development frameworks conclude, a new phase will begin in 2026 under the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
For instance, the upcoming ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan 2026 – 2035. This new phase aims to steer the ten-member bloc toward a future driven by innovation, inclusivity, and sustainable growth.
Digital technologies are now the core drivers of ASEAN’ s future ambitions. Tools such as 5G networks, Artificial Intelligence( AI), quantum computing, and blockchain are fundamental to accelerating regional transformation.
Notably, the impact of these technologies calls for ASEAN to embrace an integrated, multi-sector approach to digitalisation.
Against this strategic backdrop, Malaysia’ s progress serves as a model of digital readiness. The inaugural GSMA Digital Nations Index 2025 confirms the nation’ s standing as a regional digital powerhouse. Malaysia ranked second among ASEAN member states in overall digital readiness, next only to Singapore.
According to the‘ Digital Nations 2025: Achieving the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan’ report, Malaysia achieved an aggregate score above 60 out of 100.
This performance places the country among the region’ s most digitally advanced economies, alongside the Philippines and Thailand. It is also a testament to Malaysia’ s comprehensive efforts across the five key pillars evaluated by the index: infrastructure, innovation, data governance, security, and people.
MEASURING READINESS
Malaysia’ s strongest performance was in the People category, where it scored between 76 and 100. The high score attests to the nation’ s approach to expanding access to digital services and upskilling the national workforce.
The‘ Digital Nations 2025: Achieving the ASEAN Connectivity Strategic Plan’ report by GSMA.
However, significant gaps remain among vulnerable groups such as women and older citizens. To address these disparities, a variety of reskilling and upskilling programs, alongside educational reforms and targeted initiatives for micro-entrepreneurs, have been introduced.
A notable example is Go Digital ASEAN, a programme led by the Asia Foundation and funded by Google. org. Its second phase, launched in 2023, has provided advanced digital education to over 215,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises( MSMEs).
Approximately 141,000 business owners across Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam benefited from digital skills training through the programme. It also connected 31,000 MSMEs through a regional webinar series. In addition, 43,000 participants from Malaysia and neighbouring countries received advanced digital training.