DFTZ 2.0 Rebuilt From Zero: Scicom CEO on Delays, Control and What's Next
Leo Ariyanayakam explains how Malaysia's digital trade platform was reconstructed without legacy code, and why MDEC ends up holding more cards.
Malaysia's Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) platform has been rebuilt from scratch by Scicom, working without the original source code or complete historical data, according to group CEO Leo Ariyanayakam in an interview with Digital News Asia. The rebuild also restructured how MDEC, Royal Malaysian Customs and the eHub operators (EHUs) interact with the platform. Ariyanayakam addressed the project's delays, disclosed that a revenue-sharing model underpins the new setup, and argued that DFTZ 2.0 gives MDEC greater control, stronger ownership and more bargaining power than before. For Malaysian businesses, the practical takeaway is this: the country's main digital trade gateway is being re-founded on cleaner foundations, and exporters who prepare their data and integrations early will benefit most.
AI Summary
Malaysia's Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) platform has been rebuilt from scratch by Scicom, working without the original source code or complete historical data, according to group CEO Leo Ariyanayakam in an interview with Digital News Asia. The rebuild also restructured how MDEC, Royal Malaysian Customs and the eHub operators (EHUs) interact with the platform. Ariyanayakam addressed the project's delays, disclosed that a revenue-sharing model underpins the new setup, and argued that DFTZ 2.0 gives MDEC greater control, stronger ownership and more bargaining power than before. For Malaysian businesses, the practical takeaway is this: the country's main digital trade gateway is being re-founded on cleaner foundations, and exporters who prepare their data and integrations early will benefit most.
Key Takeaways
- This was a rebuild from zero, not an upgrade. The team had no legacy source code and incomplete historical data — meaning DFTZ 2.0 is an entirely new system, not a patched-up version of the old one.
- MDEC comes out stronger. The CEO's central claim is that the new structure gives MDEC greater control, stronger ownership
Sources & References
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