• Malaysia's Digital Minister, the Honourable Gobind Singh Deo, has presented a strategic plan in Barcelona• Malaysia aims to become a leader in digitalization, as well as a frontrunner in the digital economy in Southeast Asia.
Barcelona — The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) and MyDIGITAL Corporation are proud to announce that Kuala Lumpur has been designated as the official host city of the Southeast Asia edition of Smart City Expo (SCE) in 2025. This choice reaffirms the strategic partnership between Malaysia and Spain in the development of smart cities and digitalization, taking Barcelona as a role model of an innovative, sustainable smart city.
Following a strategic plan for digital transformation, Malaysia is determined to become a global digital hub in the coming years. The country aims to establish itself as a leader in the ASEAN region by advancing a robust digital infrastructure in areas such as AI, IoT, robotics, and cybersecurity, supported by major companies like Amazon (AWS), Google, and Microsoft.
In 2023, Malaysia exceeded its digital investment target by 54%, reaching nearly 9 billion euros, and is projected to approach 13.6 billion euros by 2025.
Malaysia’s Digital Minister, the Honourable, Gobind Singh Deo mentioned, “Hosting the Smart City Expo in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, will be a significant milestone for us as we aspire to take on a leadership role in this field. Preparations are well underway, and we are committed to delivering an event that showcases advanced technology while providing a platform for global participants to have a meaningful dialogue on the future of urban life.”
The Catalonian city has been recognized as one of the global smart city models. According to the 2024 Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index, the city ranks among the 60 most sustainable in the world. In the tech sector, Barcelona also stands out in 5G user experience, ranking second globally according to the MedUX study, and leads in network reliability, a standard that Malaysia seeks to emulate as a foundation for its own technological infrastructure.
Strategic Alliance in Key Sectors for Smart Cities
The collaboration between Spain and Malaysia encompasses essential areas for the digital transformation of cities, beginning with 5G infrastructure, which already covers 82% of Malaysia’s population. Companies from both countries are developing AI solutions in healthcare and manufacturing, with successful examples such as lung cancer diagnosis through AI. These steps are key toward deploying an advanced digital services network in the urban domain.
In cybersecurity, Spanish technology companies are working alongside the Ministry of Digital Malaysia to strengthen the country’s data protection and digital infrastructures. Malaysia’s recent Cybersecurity Law, driven by the Honourable Gobind Singh, establishes a solid framework for digital protection and trust across all sectors.
In sustainability and renewable energy, Spain brings its experience in green technology, collaborating with Malaysia on solar and wind energy projects that help the Asian nation meet its clean energy goals. In next-generation technologies, both nations are collaborating on quantum computing, exploring its potential for high-speed data processing.
Sustained Growth in Bilateral Trade
Since 2021, the trade between Malaysia and Spain had experienced steady growth. This positive trend is evident in the increasing volume of imports and exports between two countries.
Malaysia’s imports of Spanish products were valued at $543 million (€498 million), and by 2023, they had increased to $688 million (€631 million). This marks a substantial growth of 25.5% over the two-year period.
Meanwhile, Malaysian exports to Spain have also shown progress, reflecting the strengthening economic relationship between the countries. By 2023, Malaysia exports to Spain had reached $1.243 billion (€1.139 billion) in 2023.
This trade dynamics between two countries demonstrate a promising and mutually beneficial partnership, with both imports and exports showing considerable growth since 2021.