Kuala Lumpur 27 April 2026 (The Capital Post) – The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has called on local businesses to move beyond simply pursuing innovation and instead prioritise effective execution to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
MDEC chief executive officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil said many organisations already consider themselves innovation-ready, but the real challenge lies in translating ideas into practical, scalable outcomes at speed, particularly as technologies like artificial intelligence accelerate development cycles.
He emphasised that the issue is not a shortage of ideas but rather an “execution gap”, with businesses struggling to implement and commercialise solutions quickly enough to keep pace with market demands.
According to MDEC, while about 70% of corporates are prepared for innovation and nearly half have structured processes in place, a significant portion still faces constraints in talent, capabilities and funding. These challenges hinder their ability to convert innovation into tangible results.
The agency also highlighted that spending on innovation remains relatively low, with companies allocating less than 1% of revenue on average, further underscoring the gap between readiness and actual implementation.
-Advertisement-
Anuar noted that traditional innovation cycles are no longer sufficient, as advancements in AI have dramatically shortened the time between concept and adoption, requiring businesses to respond more quickly and decisively.
MDEC said it is working to support organisations by bridging the gap between ideas and outcomes, helping them identify challenges, develop solutions, and scale them across industries such as finance, healthcare, infrastructure and technology.
The call reflects growing pressure on businesses to not only innovate but also deliver measurable impact, as Malaysia continues to strengthen its position in the digital economy.-The Capital Post