#MyDigitalMaker Virtual Fair 2020 attracts 19k visitors, sets path towards accelerating youth digital readiness in Malaysia

• Virtual event hosted 490 workshops, webinars, tutorials, with 200 hours of content
• Over 200 materials made available for browsing; 50 virtual exhibition booths on show

19,000 registered visitors. 200 consumed hours of webinar and workshops of content. A more digitally-ready Malaysia.

Thus concludes the #MyDigitalMaker Virtual Fair 2020, the first-ever virtualised edition of the annual event by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Themed around “Digital Skills Today, Workplace of Tomorrow”, the event – held from 5 to 11 October 2020 – is aimed at driving digital readiness among Malaysian youth and future-proofing their careers. 

Besides being the first time the event has gone virtual, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, there were other firsts, too. The fair was opened to an international audience, for one, while primary school students were invited to participate in the annual “Battle of the Digital Ninja” competition.

The week-long event saw more than 490 workshops, webinars, and tutorials being conducted for students and teachers. The programmes were all done in collaboration with a wide range of edtech companies, corporates and training providers, among them being partners like Chumbaka, Petrosains, Bett Asia, Alphakidz, Australian Computing Academy, Forward School, Microsoft, Apple Distinguished Educators, Digital Classroom and Arus Academy. 

In total, over 200 materials were made available for browsing. There was also a virtual exhibition featuring 50 booths.

Additionally, more than 200 speakers were featured throughout the week, offering a bevy of tips and insights to parents, students and teachers. Among them were prominent leaders and speakers, such as the Ministry of Communications & Multimedia Malaysia’s secretary general Suriani Ahmad and Hamidah Naziadin, the HR Advisor of CIMB’s Group Human Resource; not to mention edtech experts the likes of Colin Marson, the head of Google for Education under Google JAPAC.

Malaysian personality and influencer Mat Luthfi, a YouTuber and founder of ML Studios was also present along with American technopreneur, 12 year old Samaira Mehta, who is the founder and CEO of CoderBunnyz.

“It’s heartening to see how the #mydigitalmaker Movement is making an impact for communities across the country, including suburban and rural areas. This is very much in line with MDEC’s goal of ensuring all Malaysians have access to the digital economy and can make that digital leap as they embrace the idea of living in this new era of disruption,” said MDEC CEO Surina Shukri.

Good competition 

A series of competitions also that took place throughout #MyDigitalMaker Virtual Fair 2020, eight of which were held for primary and secondary schools. Among them are Malaysia’s first micro:bit Idol 2020, the Regional National Robotics League 2020 competition, and the Coding Olympics.

Then there was the annual Battle of the Ninjas, the finale of the annual competition for The Digital Ninja programme. This leadership and digital maker skills enhancement initiative, which supports Malaysia’s best and brightest young digital innovators from 11-17, aims to solve a variety of global challenges.

Themed “Digital Solutions for Community-based Problems”, it attracted a high number of entries. The winning team – Spartan (see pic below) – created an Internet of Things controlled disposal bin for face masks. It comes equipped with the MySejahtera app to aid contact tracing of mask disposers, a UV light sanitising system and gamification mechanism that encourage users to reuse the bin.

The team, consisting of five students aged between 11 to 16, are:

• Eimaiyan A/L Kaliyappan, 11 (SJKT Ladang Wellesley, Kedah)
• Julian Siah, 13 (SMK Damansara Utama, Selangor)
• Wong Jin Tim, 15 (SMK Damansara Jaya, Selangor)
• Calvin Khoo Zhen Chen, 15 (SMJKC Phor Tay, Pulau Pinang)
• Nurul Alisa Hairul, 16 (SMK Taman Megah Ria, Johor)

Impressed with the quality of the competition, one of the Digital Ninja judges, Fusionex International Group CEO Ivan Teh, added an additional US$2,400 (RM10,000) to the prize money as a bonus. Other prizes up for grab include US$925 (RM3,825) worth of goodies.  

Participants were also inspired by the stories of extraordinary teachers and students that have made their mark within the digital making space. These include:

• Champion of Cikgu Juara Digital 2020, Abdul Rahman Ali (Cikgu Aman) from SMK Jenjarom, Kuala Langat, Selangor. He now represents Malaysia at the Microsoft E2 Global Education Exchange 2020 that will soon be held at Sydney, Australia
• Muhammad Qaed Najdat, a student from SM Sains Tunku Jaafar, Negeri Sembilan – he recently won the Gold Medal for Drone Operating at the World Champion Skills 2020
• Anabelle Lee Syin Yee, the 11-year-old entrepreneur and innovator from Rafflesia International School KL who was awarded the Best Rookie (New Comer) Digital Ninja

The #MyDigitalMaker Virtual Fair 2020 was made possible through the partnership with Engage Media and with the involvement of CIMB Group, the Digital Maker Association as well as public and private sector ecosystem partners.