Dual 5G boosts Malaysia’s supply-chain resilience, says industry chief

Malaysia's dual 5G network model could significantly enhance supply-chain resilience, according to Lorela Chia, founding president of the Malaysia Association of Sustainable Supply Chain and Innovation (Massci). Chia explained that the dual-network system, comprising networks operated by Digital Nasional Berhad (using Ericsson technology) and U Mobile (utilizing Huawei and ZTE technology), provides manufacturers with greater flexibility in deploying and managing digital technologies.

This flexibility is crucial as businesses often become dependent on specific 5G networks, technology vendors, software, data systems, and industrial platforms. The dual-network environment offers "optionality," or more choices, allowing manufacturers to use the network environment that best supports their existing technologies. This adaptability becomes particularly valuable when companies change suppliers, upgrade parts of their operations, or respond to disruptions, as it enables them to choose the network that best supports their new technologies, rather than having to rebuild their entire operations around a single network.

Chia emphasized that this ability to reconfigure around different technologies is what makes optionality important for supply-chain resilience, as it helps supply chains absorb disruption. She noted that while coverage provides the platform for 5G, optionality determines how quickly the supply chain can reconfigure, making Malaysia's dual 5G network model valuable beyond simply expanding coverage.