Malaysia reinforced its position as a regional digital infrastructure hub with the soft launch of the second edition of the BICSI Southeast Asia Malaysia Conference and Exhibition on April 23, 2026 at Sunway Resort Hotel, Subang Jaya.
Following its 2025 inaugural edition in Johor Bahru and a 2026 edition in Vietnam earlier this year, the conference is scheduled to take place on July 21 and 22, 2026 at Sunway Resort Hotel, focusing on advancing information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure excellence in an increasingly artificial intelligence (AI)-driven landscape.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the country’s ICT sector contributed RM451.3 billion, or 23.4 per cent to the national economy, while employing more than 1.25 million people nationwide. Between 2022 and 2025, over RM342 billion in digital investments were approved, which are expected to generate more than 114,000 new jobs, the majority of which are knowledge-based, requiring specialized, high-level skills.
Human Resources Ministry secretary-general Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof emphasised that strengthening the nation’s talent pipeline remained a key priority as Malaysia continues to expand its digital economy.
He noted that the growing scale of investments highlights the increasing demand for skilled professionals, particularly in areas such as data centres, network infrastructure and AI.
“We recognise that building a future-ready workforce is not simply about increasing numbers. It is about ensuring that Malaysians are equipped with the right skills, the right certifications, and the right exposure to meet the demands of an increasingly complex digital landscape,” Azman said in a speech.
The text of his speech was delivered by Human Resources senior principal assistant secretary (International) Mohd Azmi Isa at the soft launch.
The conference is organised by Tecnoviq Learning Academy (TECLA), an affiliate of BICSI Southeast Asia, which is part of BICSI, the global authority in ICT standards and professional certification.
Azman also highlighted that the involvement of international bodies like BICSI would strengthen Malaysia’s talent development ecosystem by exposing local professionals to globally recognised benchmarks. This alignment supports the Dasar TVET Negara 2030, which emphasises industry-driven training and continuous upskilling.
“The adoption of internationally recognised certifications like BICSI and structured training pathways will certainly help to strengthen industry standards while ensuring a consistent, high-quality talent pool aligned with evolving technological needs,” he added.
He pointed out that closer collaboration between industry players, training institutions and policymakers was also crucial to ensure skills development remains aligned with market needs, particularly in addressing skills mismatch and supporting workforce mobility.
Echoing these sentiments, BICSI Southeast Asia executive chairman Dr Garies Chong stated, “At BICSI Southeast Asia, we are committed to elevating industry standards while nurturing a highly skilled talent pool and fostering stronger regional collaboration, key pillars in building a resilient and future-ready ICT ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, BICSI Southeast Asia Affiliate executive director Mary Elizabeth Cheng emphasized equipping workers with essential knowledge, skills and certifications, particularly to meet the rapidly evolving demands within the region’s ICT industry.
“We must invest in education, training and continuous professional development to build a strong and sustainable talent pipeline for the future,” said Cheng who is also TECLA founder and principal.
The soft launch ceremony featured a BISCI SEA Beyond 2026 forum titled “Accelerating digital adoption, talent development and futre-ready ICT infrastructure for a globally connected ASEAN economy” where BICSI SEA’s partners discussed the future of digitalization with the current AI-driven landscape.
The conference is expected to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers and educators from across the region to exchange best practices and strengthen regional collaboration.
The soft launch saw a gathering of key industry movers in the ICT industry and government agencies like the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), Invest Selangor, Selangor Information Technology & Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) and Cyberview.
The BICSI Southeast Asia Malaysia Conference and Exhibition 2026 has received support from agencies such as the MDEC, Sidec and Cyberview alongside the National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom), as well as corporate sponsors like Softing AG (Germany), Senko Advanced Components (Euro) Ltd (UK), OneSystems Technologies Pte Ltd (Singapore) and Datwyler AG (Switzerland), among others.
The organisers of the BICSI SEA 2026 conference in Malaysia also announced that they continue to welcome corporate sponsorships for the July event, providing a strategic platform for organisations to showcase their capabilities and engage directly with key industry stakeholders.
Interested parties seeking partnership opportunities regarding BICSI SEA 2026 are encouraged to connect with a TECLA representative via email at info@bicsi-sea.org.
For more information, visit bicsi-sea.org.
