The Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur 2025 (SCEKL25), scheduled from Sept 17-19 in the Malaysian capital city, serves as a strategic platform to showcase the country’s vision, readiness, and leadership in smart city development and digital transformation.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, who launched the 100-day countdown earlier today, said the event reflected Malaysia’s commitment to shaping the future of urban innovation – not just for the country, but for Southeast Asia as a whole.
“But let us be clear – this is not just about technology. It’s about people. It’s about building cities that are intelligent, resilient and inclusive. SCEKL25 brings together global leaders, policymakers, innovators and industry players to co-create solutions for the urban challenges of tomorrow,” said Gobind.
He added that the expo’s theme – AI Cities: Shaping Our Digital Future – reflected Malaysia’s ambition to lead the next wave of urban innovation, using artificial intelligence (AI) to build smarter, safer and more inclusive cities.
“This vision is rooted in responsibility, guided by ethics, and driven by purpose. It calls on us to create cities that are intelligent, human-centric and sustainable – where technology empowers communities and drives meaningful change,” he said.
Malaysia’s smart city agenda is built on four strategic pillars:
a. AI cities
b. Sustainable and resilient cities
c. Digital entrepreneurship and economic development
d. Community empowerment through digital solutions
Gobind credited Malaysia’s digital agencies for driving progress. He said the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, through its Malaysia Digital (MD) initiative, had streamlined incentives and boosted investor confidence. As of July 2024, 140 local AI solution providers had joined the MD ecosystem, generating over RM1 billion in revenue.
“In 2024, Malaysia recorded RM163.6 billion in digital investments – more than triple the previous year – showing investor confidence in our stable, pro-business environment. Digital exports are also growing, with over RM1.9 billion in opportunities across 11 countries,” he said.
“In just two years, 5G coverage has reached more than 82 per cent of populated areas, enabling use cases from traffic management and public safety to environmental monitoring. The 5G penetration rate now exceeds 60 per cent, reflecting strong adoption among public and enterprise users.”
He added that Digital Nasional Berhad was also supporting startups and tech firms in developing scalable AI solutions for smart cities.
“With the ecosystem and infrastructure in place, Malaysia is not only ready to host SCEKL25 – we are ready to lead the development of AI cities across Southeast Asia.”
This is the first time the international expo will be held in Southeast Asia. It will see the participation of over 10,000 delegates and 300 exhibitors from more than 20 countries.
