Report reveals the potential of the cloud in public and private sectors

A new study “A cloud for doing good: a technology revolution for all in ASEAN” launched by Microsoft in partnership with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, reveals that cloud computing can “democratise access to technology. The technology can also deliver “considerable benefits for governments and businesses”, but a concerted effort is needed “to address the barriers that impede (its) widespread adoption.”

Barriers to this technology include a lack of awareness, data localisation requirements, and the cost and quality of broadband infrastructure.

The report suggests that the power of the cloud has the potential to make the public sector more efficient as it allows various government agencies to work together with a whole-of-government approach.

It put particular focus on the benefits of cloud computing for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), which make up make up 95 percent of all businesses in ASEAN.

“Cloud computing is at the heart of the current technology revolution and digital transformation going on in ASEAN,” said Dr. Astrid Tuminez, regional director for corporate, external and legal affairs for Microsoft in Southeast Asia. “This is why it’s imperative to look into the trends and best practices of other nations so that we can adapt more readily to the what is an increasingly digital global economy.”

“With the flexibility offered by cloud computing, SMEs need not worry about significant, upfront capital costs as they seek to expand to new markets domestically and in the region,” said Tuminez. “Small and medium-sized financial services firms, which require huge investments in information technology (IT), can become more competitive because they can be more productive through automation. They do not have to invest in expensive capital costs as they pay only for what they use.”