Digital Transformation Malaysia: Can We Survive Without WiFi at Mamaks?

Mamaks, no longer just a place for food spots, it grow even more into community's hot spot. One may find group of students doing assignments at the corners, group of friend having a good game of Mobile Legend, a freelancer working on clients project or some old timers sharing random thoughts on almost everything. Even successful startups ideas could come from random talks at mamak. With just one glass of teh tarik, one could spend whole day over there. With everything going on over there, one could not deny the important of having a free WiFI just like everyone depends on it (assuming none spend on postpaid).

Cashless Malaysia!

When you sit down on mamak ready to order, you snap your finger to get attention, ready for order. Then waiter just point to a nicely laminated paper on the table, containing QR code, leaving you to scan for menu and order. Then you proceed to connect to free WiFi at the mamak and start ordering. That just how the usual sight on modern mamaks where no longer paper and pen, everything been digitalized. This displayed the rapid cashless adoption in Malaysia where E-wallet, QR Payments or mobile banking becoming more common. It just convenient for both sides of the transactions. Indirectly reducing the risks of having much cash on hand.

Government Initiatives

Malaysian government been aggressively pushing to digitalize everything for the convenience of accessing all public services (if you don't mind download more than 10 different government apps). With several clear goals which to modernize public services with online portals, digital IDs and clearing the hassles where one could spend whole day running places just to get things done (including those long queues). It also help on equipping everyone with digital skills with exposure to technology to make Malaysia more competitive globally.

Smarter Everything

Digitalization even extended to urban planning and infrastructures. A lot more smart city projects took places everywhere in rapid city development. With the main purpose for easier to navigate around the city and safer environment (with security cameras around), For example it even easier to get everywhere around the city with introduction of Rapid KL-on-Demand, a flexible public transport which could be book on demand. It's cheap, it's convenient and it's integrated so well with existing public transport.

Workforce Upgrade

When a mamak waiter come taking order, he or she should have some technology knowledge themselves on handling the ordering system all the way to the payment, Adapting to new technology bringing a new level of knowledge to people around. No digital transformation can complete without the very people themselves. Government investing heavily on digital skills training, ensuring everyone able to catch up with new tools and processes. With such focusing on AI, cloud technologies, digital marketing and software development. Ensuring locals able to compete globally and thriving in tech-driven world.

What's Stopping It?

Well, let's just say not everyone able to access high-speed internet or even digital devices. Even so, not everyone are literate with the usage of digital apps to even make a simple payment. This makes everyone are vulnerable to cyberthreats or scams. Without deep understanding of today's technology, a lot could easily fall prey to attack or get getting scam. Some may cause by the acceptance of new technology and refuse to adapt the new way of living. Preferring to use the good old cash for payment or use paper and pen while taking orders.

Digitalized Future

Not everything about technology when it comes to digital transformation, it's about building a resilient, efficient and innovative nation. As everything are more into AI and automation nowadays, we could be expecting faster services, more convenience to navigate around the city and comfortable urban living experiences. But we also expecting lower quality of work (AI everything!), higher rate of cybercrimes and might future to be intrusion of privacy issue. This just prove having a free WiFi at mamaks could be so important and contributing in digital transformation of Malaysia.