(from left to right): Celebrating the soft launch with BICSI Southeast Asia’s partners. Mary Elizabeth Cheng, Founder and Principal of Tecnoviq Learning Academy (TECLA) and Executive Director of BICSI Southeast Asia Affiliate Ahmad Salman Ahmad Fua’ad, Head of Startup & Digitalisation Department, Selangor Information Technology & Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) Dr. Indera Shaiful Baharun, Executive Vice President (Technology Ecosystem Development – Business Division), Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) Dr. Garies Chong, Executive Chair of BICSI Southeast Asia Mohd Azmi bin Isa, Senior Principal Assistant Secretary, International Division, Ministry of Human Resources, on behalf of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Human Resources, Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof Dato’ Hasan Azhari bin Haji Idris, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Selangor Berhad Nik Hishamuddin Nik Mohd Yusof, Head of Tertiary, Digital Talent & Entrepreneurship, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Siti Shafinaz Mohd Salim, Head of Technology Hub Development Division, Cyberview Sdn. Bhd.
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 & Exhibition 2026 today.
The event was officiated by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Human Resources, Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof.
Building on the success of its 2025 inaugural edition held in Johor Bahru and its Vietnam edition earlier this year, the conference is scheduled to take place on July 21 and 22 at Sunway Resort Hotel, focusing on advancing information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure excellence in an increasingly artificial intelligence (AI)-driven landscape.
In his speech, Azman emphasised that strengthening the nation’s talent pipeline remained a key priority as Malaysia continues to expand its digital economy.
“We must ensure that our workforce is equipped with the right knowledge, the right skills, and the right certifications to meet the evolving demands of this industry. We must invest in education, training, and continuous professional development to build a strong and sustainable talent pipeline for the future,” said Mary Elizabeth Cheng, Founder and Principal of Tecnoviq Learning Academy (TECLA) and Executive Director of BICSI Southeast Asia Affiliate.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the ICT sector currently contributes RM451.3 billion, or 23.4 per cent of 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 roles.
In a speech delivered by Mohd Azmi bin Isa, Senior Principal Assistant Secretary of the International Division at the Ministry of Human Resources, on behalf of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Human Resources, Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof, he said, “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.”
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,” said Azman.
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.
(from left to right): Commemorating a special thank you moment with the Gold Sponsors for BICSI Southeast Asia Malaysia Conference & Exhibition 2026. Mr. Raymond Ng, Head of Sales (IT), Asia Pacific of Datwyler Mr. Ho, General Manager of Softing Dr. Garies Chong, Executive Chair of BICSI Southeast Asia Mohd Azmi bin Isa Senior Principal Assistant Secretary, International Division, Ministry of Human Resources, on behalf of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Human Resources, Datuk Azman Mohd Yusof Mary Elizabeth Cheng Founder and Principal of Tecnoviq Learning Academy (TECLA) and Executive Director of BICSI Southeast Asia Affiliate Dr. Bernard Lee, Senior Director (Strategic Technology & Innovation) of SENKO Ms. Eunice, CEO of Onesystems
Azman also highlighted that the involvement of international bodies such as BICSI would help 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.
Executive Chair of BICSI Southeast Asia, 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.”
Echoing these sentiments, Executive Chair of BICSI Southeast Asia, 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.”
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 well-known movers in the ICT industry from industry players to 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 & 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.
An insightful discussion happening during the BICSI SEA Beyond 2026 Forum, where BICSI SEA’s partners discussed the future of digitalization with the current AI-driven landscape.
The organisers also announced they continue to welcome corporate sponsorships for the July conference, offering organisations a strategic platform to showcase their capabilities and engage directly with key industry stakeholders. Interested parties are encouraged to connect with a TECLA representative for partnership opportunities via email at info@bicsi-sea.org.
For more information, visit bicsi-sea.org.
