Cyberjaya can be more than a technology hub 

• Cyberjaya’s vast lands & solid infrastructure makes it a great place for any business
• City will play a key role in Muslim-focused tech, AI, autonomous vehicles, robotics

Cyberjaya may be a technology hub, but can it be more than that? Cyberview Sdn Bhd’s managing director, Najib Ibrahim (pix, below) doesn’t rule out any future possibilities. “While we are strongly focused on digital and technology, we are always on the lookout for new opportunities that we can leverage,” he tells Digital News Asia.

Businesses and organisations can leverage a lot from Cyberjaya, too. From a geographical aspect, the city is strategically located adjacent to Putrajaya, the administrative hub of the federal government, as well as the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Kuala Lumpur is but a 30 minute drive away, while two MRT stations connecting it all the way to Sungai Buloh are in construction.

Najib notes that Cyberjaya also has vast land, making it an ideal location of industry players in the Smart Mobility sector to test their products and technology.

This makes Cyberjaya a prime location for not only tech-related businesses, but other companies as well. “As operating in the city centre becomes increasingly costly and congested, we are aware that companies may begin to look outside of KL to set up their offices,” Najib points out.

“Cyberjaya is a low-density city with a variety of contemporary office spaces which offers far more affordable prices as compared to locations such as KLCC or Damansara.”

This low-density characteristic takes on added importance in a Covid-19 world where social distancing is a key hygiene and safety factor. In addition, as compared to the city centre, Cyberjaya has a minimal pollution level.

The city can meet different needs for businesses of any size – co-working spaces from as low as US$3.60 (RM15) a day, office spaces that starts from 700 square feet. Vast land areas from which custom-built offices can be deployed. The possibilities are aplenty. “Our offerings include fully furnished offices, bare offices, and even lands for companies that would like to build their offices in Cyberjaya,” Najib adds.

The city also has solid infrastructure in place. We’re talking state-of-the-art developments, plus a variety of recreational facilities – the beautiful lakes and parks are a plus. Little known fact: Cyberjaya is one of Malaysia’s pioneer green townships, with 48% of land reserved for public amenities and greenery.

“We are sure that this will be a welcomed change for companies who wish to operate away from a congested city centre,” Najib quips, a broad smile on his face.

The green in Cyberjaya isn’t in aesthetics alone. By end 2020, Cyberview expects the city to see a 21% reduction in carbon emission. This is in line with its carbon framework which was formulated to align and mobilise green efforts which include tree planting, green buildings, and district cooling.

In Cyberjaya, one might find solar panels installed at bus shelters and carparks, and electric vehicles (EVs) taking the road. On top of that, the district cooling plants set up by Pendinginan Megajana Sdn Bhd has successfully reduced 65% of the amount of energy usage that would otherwise be needed to cool individual buildings within the city, Najib notes.

The future of Cyberjaya

Cyberjaya has come a long way. The city is celebrating its 23^rd anniversary in 2020. What’s next?

“In line with the [Malaysian] government’s vision of driving Industrial Revolution 4.0, we are confident that we will continue to see strong technology growth in the years ahead,” Najib predicts.

The smart city is anticipating an explosion of growth in the three tech clusters envisioned as the emerging technologies of tomorrow. “Demand for technology such as autonomous vehicles, drone technology, AI and robotics will increase exponentially, in tandem with higher demand due to a post-Covid-19 world.”

Najib acknowledges that there are many smart cities and tech hubs around the world that they have sought inspiration from, but what’s important now is for them to listen intently to the needs and demands of society and address them directly, whether it’s about curating strategic partners to implement specific technology within the city, or to build elements which will contribute to their ecosystem.

As one of the most developed Muslim majority nations in the world, will Cyberjaya consider placing a stronger focus on Muslim-focused tech? Cyberview is certainly open for this.

For good reason, of course. According to Najib, in 2018, the total consumer spending in Islamic economic sectors recorded US$2.2 trillion (RM9.15 trillion) , a 5.2% growth from 2017.

“In Malaysia, we have seen an increasing number of Muslim-focused tech companies, with popular ones such as FashionValet and Naelofar. We believe that this trend will continue to grow, and we are excited to play our part in supporting this category. In fact, Cyberjaya has its own Muslim-friendly shopping complex called Malakat Mall, the one and only in the country thus far,” he reveals.

Going forward, with the new mandate and masterplan to revitalise the city, Najib is envisioning that Cyberjaya will be the preferred investment destination for technology companies, as well as catalysing technology and innovation for the nation’s future economy by cultivating a robust, well-developed ecosystem.

Finally, city-wide technology adoption will truly strengthen Cyberjaya’s position as a smart city.“That is what Cyberjaya is for – to propel the country forward in the areas of technology and digitalisation,” Najib says.“We at Cyberview will continue to focus on the community that we’ve built here, while also shining a light on our partners and collaborators that have helped transform Cyberjaya into what it is today.