Geneva: Malaysia once again solidified its position on the international stage when the ASEAN 5G Skills Framework and Capacity Development Platform was crowned as the Winner Project at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2026.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in a statement said that the award was received by the Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah and MCMC managing director Abdul Karim Fakir Ali at the WSIS Prizes 2026 awards ceremony held in conjunction with the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland.
ASEAN 5G Skills Framework and Capacity Development Platform led by MCMC was crowned as the winner for the WSIS Action Line C1: The Role of Government and All Stakeholders in Advancing ICT for Development at the WSIS Prizes 2026.
"This achievement marks the second consecutive year that the MCMC initiative has received global recognition through the WSIS Prizes, following the success of the National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) being crowned as the Winner Project in 2025. This success follows the recognition received in June when three MCMC initiatives, namely the ASEAN 5G Skills Framework and Capacity Development Platform, the MCMC Five-Year Plan 2030 (FYP2030), and the Sebenarnya.my portal were named as Champion Projects at the WSIS Prizes 2026," according to the statement.
This year's WSIS Prizes edition also made history by recording 1,595 entries from 122 countries and receiving over 2.2 million votes globally. Winner Projects are the highest recognition for each category of the WSIS Action Lines, selected from Champion Projects identified via a global evaluation and public voting process.
Developed by MCMC through collaboration with ASEAN member countries, industry players and regional experts, this framework serves as a regional benchmark in the development of 5G skills ready to face future challenges. The framework, which was endorsed at the ASEAN Digital Ministers' Meeting (ADGMIN) in Hanoi, Vietnam in January, identifies 50 critical job roles, 211 competencies encompassing Power Skills and Prime Skills, as well as 12 priority skill gaps in areas such as network infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data engineering and digital services.
"This recognition reflects the success of the collective efforts of ASEAN member countries coordinated under the leadership of the Ministry of Communications through MCMC in developing a regional 5G skills framework," according to MCMC. MCMC said the Communications Ministry and MCMC extend its highest appreciation to all ASEAN member countries for their cooperation, commitment, and continuous support that have contributed to the success of this initiative.
Through the pilot capacity development programme, 252 participants from all 11 ASEAN member countries have been successfully trained, thereby strengthening regional cooperation and producing a workforce ready to face the developments in digital technology and emerging new technologies. "This success proves that through close regional cooperation and joint commitment, ASEAN is capable of producing high-impact initiatives at the global level," said the statement.
MCMC also said that this achievement strengthens Malaysia's position as a leader in inclusive digital transformation, thereby boosting confidence in the country's ability to face future challenges. "At the same time, it reflects the ongoing commitment of the Ministry of Communications and MCMC in strengthening international cooperation via platforms such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and ASEAN," added the statement.