Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) joined organisations worldwide to celebrate International Women’s Day, honouring the women of TM as well as all women spearheading innovation and technology.

Supporting the United Nations’ efforts to recognise women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education, the event was themed DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality and was officiated by YB Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Minister of Communications & Digital.

In addressing the event, YB Teo said, “Today marks a special occasion to celebrate the efforts and contributions of women from all walks of life and to recognise their role in families, workplaces and communities. This event hosted by TM also serves as a platform for the exchange of ideas and new perspectives about gender equality especially in today’s digital realities.

“As Malaysia continues to advance digitally, more conversations are needed about enabling greater inclusion and diversity in the technology and digital sector. We must also drive on why it is fundamental to ensure equal opportunities for digital literacy and access to online resources, while increasing the protection of women and girls in digital spaces.”  

Echoing these sentiments about equality in the digital sector, Dato’ Imri Mokhtar, TM’s Group CEO explained, “As TM progresses towards becoming a human-centred TechCo, we believe that the most crucial element for our digital future is the growth and capabilities of our talents.

“With 37% of our top level management being women, we are pleased to launch ASPIRE: A Women’s Advancement Programme by TM. This 1-year leadership development programme aims to cultivate a new generation of women leaders, and tap into their unique perspectives and experiences to enrich TM’s innovation and long-term sustainability.”

With the first 30 high-performing employees already on-boarded in the programme, participants will be groomed to grow their professional image and personal branding, explore skills to lead, influence, negotiate and navigate today’s workplace, and gain opportunities to connect with peers, mentors and sponsors to enhance their future career progression.

This new programme serves as the latest in TM’s ongoing efforts to empower women, including its efforts to support the wider community.

This includes Yayasan TM (YTM), the foundation arm of TM, which offers scholarships that have benefitted high-performing students – with 49.5% of its current scholars studying in Malaysia and overseas made up of young women.  At the same time, TM’s subsidiary Multimedia University recorded that 49.3% of its employed graduates were young women – a positive reflection in enabling equal opportunities for the next generation of game-changers.

Tapping into the insights of current women game-changers, the event included panellists Dr Sumitra Nair, Head and Senior Vice President Strategy & Policy, MDEC; Yuki Aizawa, Country Director Malaysia Chapter, Women in Tech Global Movement; and Mariam Jaafar, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group, Singapore.

Moderated by TM’s Chief Human Capital Officer, Sarinah Abu Bakar – who is also serving as sponsoring mentor for the ASPIRE programme with Shanti Jusnita Johari, TM’s Chief Marketing Officer – the panel addressed issues such as the role of innovation and technology in empowering women and girls in Malaysia, the gap between urban and rural use of innovative technology, and the importance of women role models for today's youth.

“Today’s event and the launch of ASPIRE are part of our continuous commitment to enriching the prosperity and livelihoods of our Warga TM, and across the nation and beyond. The success of TM’s transformation journey is anchored on our dedicated workforce, loyal customers and local communities. Therefore, we see it as our duty and obligation to empower the lives of our people and communities, ensure greater digital inclusion, and prepare them for excellence in the digitalised future,” Dato’ Imri Mokhtar concluded.