The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. (Huawei Malaysia) today celebrated 126 graduates from the second and third cohorts of the Digital Leadership Excellence (DLE) Programme, reinforcing efforts to strengthen
Malaysia’s digital leadership capacity across government, academia and industry.
The second and third cohorts completed the four-month intensive hybrid learning programme in 2025, with 60 senior leaders completing the programme in June, followed by a further 66 in October. Together with the inaugural cohort in 2024, which produced 50 graduates, the DLE Programme has now trained a total of 176 digital leaders nationwide. The fourth cohort is currently underway, while the fifth cohort is expected to conclude by the end of the year, bringing the programme closer to its target of training
300 digital leaders by 2026.
Caption:Chairman of MCMC, Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din and CEO of Huawei Malaysia, Simon Sun (centre) at the Digital Leadership Excellence (DLE) Programme Graduation Ceremony, with them are (L to R) Vice President of Huawei Asia Pacific Enterprise Sales Dept, Zac Chow; MCMC Commission
Members, Prof. Dr Mohamad Salmi Mohd Sohod and Dato’ Sri Dr. Chee Hong Leong; MCMC Managing
Director, Abdul Karim Fakir Ali; Senior Advisor, International Affairs of MCMC, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Mohd
Annuar Zaini; MCMC Commission Member, General (Rtd) Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin and Deputy CEO of Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Malaysia, Du Xianjun.
The graduation ceremony saw the graduates receive their scrolls from MCMC Chairman, Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din and Huawei Malaysia CEO, Mr. Simon Sun.
MCMC recognises the importance of partnerships such as the DLE Programme in strengthening Malaysia’s digital leadership capacity and supporting responsible, impactful digital transformation. Initiatives such as DLE help strengthen cross-sector collaboration and equip leaders with the skills and perspectives needed to navigate an increasingly digital future. MCMC remains supportive of collaborative efforts that help translate national ambitions into meaningful outcomes for the country.
“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 or institutions and improve lives. This is the purpose of the Digital Leadership Excellence Programme,” said Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Malaysia Mr Simon Sun at the graduation event.
The programme focuses on applied leadership development, collaboration and immersive exposure to emerging technologies including 5G, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data, green technology and cybersecurity.
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”. He added, “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.”
From academia, senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Dr Norilmi Amilia from Cohort 2 said the initiative demonstrated how “true digital leadership starts with collaboration”, adding that DLE “unites minds to move nations forward.”
From the industry sector, Danny Chan Tzu Zhung, Director of Regional Telecommunication Media and Technology Sector Specialist (Head) at CIMB Investment Bank said, “I shifted from passive supporter to active change-maker. DLE isn’t just a programme – it’s a movement uniting sectors to empower others.”
Graduates also completed capstone projects addressing national priorities such as education, healthcare, talent development, financial security, agriculture and social inclusion, reflecting the DLE Programme’s emphasis on practical, solution-oriented leadership.
Inspired by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri 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 through the DLE Programme reflects a shared commitment to nurturing future-ready leaders and supporting Malaysia’s long-term digital transformation agenda.
