Sarawak Multimedia Authority

What Sarawak Multimedia Authority does

Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) is a statutory regulatory body established on 1 December 2017 pursuant to Section 3 of the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Ordinance 2017, charged with spearheading, overseeing and facilitating the development and implementation of communications, multimedia and digital economy initiatives across the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It operates under the strategic direction of the Sarawak Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication, with the state Premier serving as Chairman.

SMA's operational portfolio centers on a statewide telecommunications tower buildout (4,349 towers completed to date against a 7,000-tower long-term target, with 89.2% internet coverage already achieved in Miri Division), the S Pay Global state e-wallet (1.56 million users, 94,000+ merchants, RM5.1 billion in cumulative transaction volume), the Sarawak Integrated Operation Centre (SIOC) for centralized infrastructure monitoring, the SMART rural telecommunication program, a Smart Parking system, and the SALURAN urban-rural-national connectivity initiative. Additional technology focus areas include cybersecurity services, digital payment infrastructure, and the locally developed DeepSAR generative AI model.

SMA does not operate a commercial revenue model in the conventional sense; as a state entity it is funded through government appropriation, with ancillary regulatory fees and S Pay Global transaction monetization. Its customer base is effectively captive to the Sarawak state — covering residents, local SMBs adopting digital payments, and other government agencies coordinating on digital initiatives — and go-to-market is conducted through townhall sessions, partnerships with telcos and federal bodies (MCMC, DNB), and direct digital platforms operated by the authority itself. SMA aligns its mandate to the state's Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).

Name

Sarawak Multimedia Authority

Legal name

Sarawak Multimedia Authority

Website

https://sma.gov.my

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) is a statutory body regulating communications, multimedia, and digital economy in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, delivering telecom infrastructure, the S Pay Global e-wallet, and the SIOC operations platform to state residents, businesses, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Telecommunications Regulation

NAICS

Public Administration (92), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

Keywords

• Telecommunications regulation
• Digital economy initiatives
• Rural connectivity infrastructure
• Digital payment platform
• Government regulatory authority

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuching

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Regulatory Services: As a regulatory body, SMA oversees, facilitates, and regulates communication, multimedia and digital economy initiatives in Sarawak. Revenue is derived from regulatory fees, telecommunication infrastructure fees, and government funding for digital transformation programs.
2. S Pay Global Transaction Revenue: E-wallet platform generating transaction volume (RM5.1 billion in transaction volume) through digital payment services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) is a statutory regulatory body that oversees, facilitates, and regulates communications, multimedia, and digital economy initiatives in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. It manages the rollout of telecommunication tower infrastructure across the state, operates the S Pay Global e-wallet platform, runs the Sarawak Integrated Operation Centre (SIOC) for digital infrastructure monitoring, and coordinates digital transformation programs under the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030.

Product overview

Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) operates as a regulatory body overseeing communications, multimedia, and digital economy initiatives in Sarawak. The organization's product portfolio centers on digital infrastructure development and services, including the S Pay Global e-wallet platform (1.56 million users, RM5.1 billion transaction volume), the Sarawak Integrated Operation Centre (SIOC) for infrastructure monitoring, SMART rural telecommunication services, Smart Parking systems, and the SALURAN connectivity initiative. The core offering encompasses telecommunications tower infrastructure development (targeting 7,000 towers statewide), cybersecurity initiatives, and digital economy policy governance, all aligned with the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• S Pay Global
• Sarawak Integrated Operation Centre (SIOC)
• SMART (Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication)
• Smart Parking System
• SALURAN (Sarawak Linking Urban, Rural, and Nation)
• Telecommunications Infrastructure Development

Quantifiable outcome

• 89.2% internet coverage achieved in Miri Division
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Key regulatory partner collaborating on telecommunication development and digital economy initiatives. MCMC presented at townhall sessions alongside SMA to update stakeholders on current and upcoming developments.
• Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025National digital infrastructure company collaborating on 5G and digital network development in Sarawak. DNB participated in townhall sessions to discuss connectivity initiatives.
• Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025State corporation driving digital economy development in Sarawak, working closely with SMA on digital transformation initiatives and programs.
• Malaysian Nuclear AgencysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Government agency participating in townhall sessions to discuss digital and technology initiatives in Sarawak's digital ecosystem.
• HuaweicoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Strategic partnership to boost digital transformation in Sarawak, announced as part of SMA's news coverage on Sarawak and Huawei collaboration.
• MEASATcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MoU signed with MEASAT to support space industry development in Sarawak, enabling satellite communication capabilities for the state.
• Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication SarawakcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ministry overseeing SMA's activities under the State Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication. SMA operates under the strategic direction of this ministry.
• Sarawak Linking Urban, Rural, and Nation (SALURAN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated government initiative for connecting urban, rural, and national networks, linked as part of the Sarawak government's digital ecosystem.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• MEASAT Satellite Systems: Malaysia's leading satellite operator and a strategic MoU partner of SMA. MEASAT provides space-based connectivity infrastructure that complements SMA's terrestrial telecommunication tower rollout.

Direct peers

• GovTech Singapore: Singapore's Government Technology Agency driving public sector digital transformation. GovTech is comparable to SMA's role in spearheading state-level digital initiatives and digital services delivery.
• Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC): State-owned corporation under the Sarawak government driving digital economy development. SDEC shares overlapping mandate with SMA and is a core implementation partner.
• CyberSecurity Malaysia: National cybersecurity specialist agency under the Ministry of Digital. CyberSecurity Malaysia is a federal peer relevant to SMA's cybersecurity initiatives and the Chief Cybersecurity Strategist function.
• Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB): Malaysia's national 5G and digital infrastructure company, working with SMA on 5G rollout in Sarawak. DNB operates a closely related mandate in digital infrastructure deployment and is a core partner of SMA.

Broad incumbents

• Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC): National agency driving Malaysia's digital economy agenda. MDEC is a federal-level peer focused on digital economy development, comparable to SMA's state-level digital economy mandate.
• Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA): Singapore's statutory board regulating infocomm and media. IMDA is the most directly comparable regional peer in terms of integrated communications and digital economy regulation.
• Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC): Federal-level regulatory authority for communications and multimedia in Malaysia. MCMC is the direct federal counterpart to SMA's state-level regulatory mandate and an active strategic partner.
• Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO): Singapore's coordinating body for Smart Nation and digital government strategy. SNDGO is comparable to SMA's mandate to transform Sarawak into a digital economy powerhouse under PCDS 2030.
• Ministry of Digital Malaysia (K-KOMDIGI): Federal ministry overseeing digital and communications policy in Malaysia. The Ministry of Digital sets the national policy framework within which SMA operates its state-level regulatory functions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SMAuthority_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLFIOqmxQkSVpiykCD-hi8A
• Facebookfacebook.com/SarawakMultimediaAuthority
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sarawak-multimedia-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/sarawak.multimedia.authority

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sarawak Multimedia Authority