- DLE initiative moves closer to target of developing 300 digital leaders nationwide by 2026
- Programme trains senior leaders across government, academia and industry in emerging digital technologies
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd celebrated 126 graduates from the second and third cohorts of the Digital Leadership Excellence (DLE) Programme, reinforcing efforts to strengthen Malaysia’s digital leadership capabilities across government, academia and industry.
In a joint statement, the organisations said the second and third cohorts completed the four-month hybrid learning programme in 2025, with 60 senior leaders graduating in June and another 66 in October. Together with the inaugural 2024 cohort of 50 graduates, the DLE Programme has now trained 176 digital leaders nationwide.
The fourth cohort is currently underway, while the fifth cohort is expected to conclude by year-end, bringing the programme closer to its target of training 300 digital leaders by 2026.
Graduates received their scrolls from MCMC chairman Mohamad Salim Fateh Din and Huawei Malaysia CEO Simon Sun during the graduation ceremony.
The DLE Programme focuses on applied leadership development and immersive exposure to emerging technologies including 5G, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, green technology and cybersecurity.
MCMC said initiatives such as the DLE Programme play an important role in strengthening cross-sector collaboration and equipping leaders with the capabilities needed to navigate an increasingly digital economy.
“At its core, digital transformation calls for leaders who can look beyond technology itself and focus on how it can solve real problems, strengthen organisations and improve lives. This is the purpose of the Digital Leadership Excellence Programme,” said Sun.
Graduate Mohd Saiful Nizam bin Rahimi, lead for Information and Application Architecture at Tenaga Nasional Berhad, described DLE as “an incredible opportunity to exchange ideas with industry peers, thought leaders and Huawei’s global experts”.
“The discussions and case studies inspired me to think more strategically about how technology can be leveraged to drive meaningful impact in our organisations and ecosystems,” he added.
Senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Dr Norilmi Amilia, said the initiative demonstrated how “true digital leadership starts with collaboration”, adding that DLE “unites minds to move nations forward”.
Danny Chan Tzu Zhung, director and head of the Regional Telecommunication, Media and Technology Sector Specialist team at CIMB Investment Bank, said the programme shifted him from a “passive supporter to active change-maker”.
“DLE isn’t just a programme — it’s a movement uniting sectors to empower others,” he said.
Graduates also completed capstone projects addressing national priorities including education, healthcare, talent development, financial security, agriculture and social inclusion, reflecting the programme’s emphasis on practical and solution-oriented leadership.
Inspired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s call for stronger digital leadership capabilities during the 2023 Malaysia ICT Summit hosted by Huawei Malaysia, the DLE Programme supports Malaysia’s aspirations for a resilient, inclusive and future-ready digital economy.
The continued collaboration between MCMC and Huawei Malaysia reflects a shared commitment to developing future-ready leaders and supporting the country’s long-term digital transformation agenda.
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