23 Feb 2024
TM Registers Higher Profits in FY2023, Sustaining Resilient Performance
KUALA LUMPUR, 23 February 2024 – Telekom Malaysia Berhad (“TM” or “the Group”), today announced its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2023 (FY2023), with the Group reporting higher revenue and profitability compared to FY2022. This performance reaffirms the Group’s resilience in the competitive market landscape.
During the year under review, the Group registered a higher revenue of RM12.26 billion compared to RM12.1 billion in FY2022 propelled by the strong performance of Unifi and TM Global. Specifically, Unifi’s fixed broadband subscriptions experienced a 3.1% growth, reaching 3.13 million, while TM Global’s revenue grew from heightened demand for domestic and international data services.
The Group’s Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) remained flat at RM2.09 billion in FY2023 due to higher operational costs. Meanwhile, the Group’s Profit After Tax and Non-Controlling Interest (PATAMI) rose 63.6% from RM1.14 billion to RM1.87 billion due to a lower net finance cost and tax impact.
The Group’s capital expenditure (CAPEX) in FY2023 stood at RM1.9 billion, or 15.9% of its revenue. These investments were primarily aimed at expanding the Group’s network infrastructure nationwide and regional submarine cable system.
TM declared a 2nd interim dividend and final dividend totalling 15.5 sen per share amounting to approximately RM594.9 million, demonstrating its commitment to delivering shareholder value.
Reflecting on the FY2023 performance, Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM’s Group Chief Executive Officer said, “I am pleased to share that TM has sustained its performance amidst challenging regulatory landscapes, heightened competition, and evolving market dynamics.
“Our convergence solutions, paired with attractive packages have continued to appeal to our customers, reinforcing our position as the only Fixed Mobile Convergence with quad-play in Malaysia. The ongoing expansion of our nationwide fibre coverage, coupled with the enhancement of our data and network infrastructure, have also contributed to our growth. We remain committed to promoting digital inclusivity and wider digital adoption while addressing the evolving needs of our customers, both domestically and internationally,” said Amar.
“Furthermore, 2023 marked the completion of our initial three-year transformation phase during which we have further solidified our position in the local and global telecommunication landscape. Advancing into the next level of our transformation journey, we are now focused on evolving into a Digital Powerhouse by 2030, while positioning Malaysia as a digital hub for the region. Our commitment aligns with the nation’s aspiration of becoming a fully integrated digital society, ensuring that we continue to play a key role in the era of digital innovation,” Amar concluded.
Unifi maintains leadership in converged solutions
Unifi maintains its leadership in converged offerings of fixed broadband, mobile services, digital content and solutions for both consumers and MSMEs, recording RM5.66 billion in revenue. Unifi’s fixed broadband segment grew 3.1% to 3.13 million subscribers, driven by strategic convergence campaigns and aggressive customer retention efforts.
Unifi’s latest offering, the #Unstoppable UNI5G Postpaid and Mobile Family Plans, is designed to enhance the 5G connectivity experience for Malaysians. The newly launched Unifi TV Originals provides a wide array of unique, diverse and locally tailored content for an enriched experience for Malaysian viewers. These further contribute to the Group’s true convergence proposition, providing better value to all customers.
As a preferred partner to more than 400,000 MSMEs nationwide, Unifi Business continues to accelerate digital adoption by providing tailor-made solutions, offering them the tools and support needed to thrive in the digital economy.
Looking ahead, Unifi will further cement its role as a leader in convergence to deliver unmatched converged digital services.
TM One drives innovative solutions for enterprise
TM One continues to navigate the market complexities while exploring new growth opportunities. Despite decreased revenue to RM3.14 billion in FY2023, its 4Q23 results showed an increase in revenue of 17.3% versus 3Q23, driven by a surge in solution-based customer projects.
TM One has partnered with PLANMalaysia to equip 29 city councils with smart technologies for sustainable and connected urban environment. It was also appointed as the preferred converged digital infrastructure partner for the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) to materialise aspirations towards the growth of Sarawak’s digital economy.
Moving forward, TM One is poised to remain at the forefront of supporting and enabling the digital infrastructure for both government entities and enterprises. With a focus on innovation and strategic partnerships, TM One is set to play a significant role in Malaysia’s digital transformation journey.
TM Global positions Malaysia as a digital hub for the region
TM Global posted a solid financial performance in FY2023. Its revenue rose 8.7% to RM3.10 billion, primarily from an increase in international data revenue, driven by managed wavelength services for hyperscalers, alongside an uptick in domestic data services.
In the domestic landscape, TM Global continues to expand 5G backhaul sites and High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) Access coverage in accelerating digital inclusivity nationwide. Globally, it recorded a year-on-year 30Tbps bandwidth growth and delivered a mega requirement of more than 35Tbps long-term leased connectivity for US-based hyperscaler.
TM Global will continue to broaden its digital infrastructure solutions and forge strategic alliances with global carriers to position Malaysia as a digital hub for the region, facilitating seamless digital connectivity and services across borders.
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TM Records a Promising 1Q2023 Performance with 2.0% Revenue Growth; Continues to Strengthen its Core Business
1Q2023 Key Highlights (vs 1Q2022) · Operating Revenue grew 2.0% from RM2.89 billion to RM2.95 billion, with continuous growth across Unifi and TM Global · EBIT decreased 15.5% from RM560.4 million to RM473.3 million, following accelerated depreciation and impairment · PATAMI lower 2.9% from RM339.9 million to RM330.1 million, lower EBIT cushioned by lower net finance cost and effective tax rate · CAPEX investment stood at 14.0% of revenue or RM413.1 million, heavily attributed to fibre network expansion Amidst the challenges for the year, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) achieved a steady and promising performance in the first quarter that ended on 31 March 2023, compared to the same period in the previous year (YoY). Operating revenue grew 2.0% to RM2.95 billion, from RM2.89 billion in 2022, driven by Unifi and TM Global. TM saw an increase in customers with Unifi now serving close to 3.5 million home and MSME customers, TM One catering to 8,800 businesses, and TM Global serving more than 700 local and regional customers. Its reported Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) is lower 15.5% to RM473.3 million, from RM560.4 million, following the Group’s decision to accelerate depreciation and impairment of IT assets, due to changes in market conditions. Profit After Tax and Minority Interest (PATAMI) decreased 2.9% to RM330.1 million from RM339.9 million. Lower net finance cost and lower effective tax rate from the recognition of deferred tax assets mitigated the impact of the lower EBIT on the Group’s overall profitability. Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) stood at 14.0% of overall revenue, or RM413.1 million. A significant portion of this investment was dedicated to fortifying its fibre infrastructure, delivering new customer acquisition, international subsea cables investment and 5G fibre network deployment to meet Government’s target of 80% coverage by year end. Unifi sustaining growth trajectory Unifi continues to deliver leadership in convergence service and solutions for both home and MSMEs customers. Unifi reported a 1Q2023 revenue growth of 4.3% from RM1.38 billion to RM1.44 billion contributed by both, growth in number of subscribers and average revenue per customer (ARPC). Unifi fixed broadband subscription increased by 8.1% to 3.08 million propelled by aggressive sales, and promotions such as the 6-months complimentary speed upgrade offered to existing Unifi Home users and 7-days free viewing of all Unifi TV channels during Chinese New Year. Unifi Mobile unveiled its latest offerings, the UNI5G prepaid and postpaid plans, which include complimentary 5G access for all current mobile subscribers. Additionally, Unifi introduced the Pakej Perpaduan Jalur Lebar Tetap (Home Internet) and Pakej Perpaduan Prabayar Mudah Alih (Prepaid Mobile) plans specifically designed for underserved communities, providing inclusive and ubiquitous connectivity for the community. Unifi Business’ collaborative efforts with local government agencies have been instrumental in supporting MSMEs to digitally grow their businesses. As part of this initiative, Unifi Business launched a programme in Sabah that has resulted in a significant participation of local entrepreneurs. TM One navigating challenging market and shifting demand TM One recorded a 6.7% slowdown in revenue from RM773.7 million to RM721.9 million in the current quarter, largely due to the impact of price reduction and lower revenue from one-off customer projects. The delivery of key projects across several industries shall set the pace for TM One in the coming quarters. TM One delivered a Private 5G solution to enable Smart Industry solutions and completed a hybrid cloud project that is instrumental to the IT backbone transformation of its customer. TM is also the only telco with a 100% completion record for the Point of Presence (POP) Phase 1 Project, successfully delivering 233 sites across the northern states, Sabah and Sarawak. Building on the success of TM One 5G Sphere Partner Programme launched end of 2022 where more than 90 leading partners are registered today, TM One launched its Sandbox platform providing a secure and controlled environment for enterprise and Government customers with technology partners to co-create and commercialise innovative smart service solutions, which will propel their digitalisation and automation drive. TM Global catalysing digital inclusivity TM Global reported continuous growth in 1Q2023, with revenue increasing by 3.9% from RM625.1 million to RM649.2 million, contributed by higher data and data centre co-location services. As the leading partner for High-Speed Broadband Access (HSBA), TM Global achieved the highest number of new installations in March, supporting collective industry growth throughout Malaysia. Additionally, close to 8,000 4G and 5G fiberisation site were deployed to meet the growing demands of industry players and enhance nationwide edge capabilities, further propelling national digital initiatives. Internationally, TM Global secured deals from US-based hyperscaler and North Asia digital provider for its wholesale data centre solutions as well as a substantial deal from ASEAN telecommunication player for more than 10Tbps data requirement within this region. TM Global remains focused on positioning Malaysia as the preferred digital hub for the ASEAN region through its comprehensive and customised offerings for hyperscalers, global carriers and digital players. Commentary and Outlook from Dato’ Imri Mokhtar, TM Group Chief Executive Officer “2023 is expected to be a challenging year with changes in the regulatory landscape, heightened competition and other market structure changes. TM will continue strengthening its core business to be commercially sustainable as a Public Listed Company (PLC) whilst continuing to contribute to the nation’s growth via its role as a Government Linked Company (GLC). “As the national connectivity and digital infrastructure provider, TM will continue to execute the fiberisation plan to support the Government’s National Digital Network (JENDELA) programmes as well as the 5G rollout nationwide. TM looks forward to continue playing an active role in the 5G implementation, leveraging its nationwide fibre infrastructure, extensive digital platforms (data centres, edge nodes) and rollout experience. “We remain steadfast as we enter the final year of our 2021-2023 Transformation Programme, and pursue the next wave of growth beyond 2023. In line with our journey to become a human-centred TechCo, we announced the launch of TM’s new HQ and Campus, located in Cyberjaya. The campus will serve as a catalyst for a new way of working that drives agility and flexibility through digital collaboration and hybrid work environment, propelling innovation among our employees, customers and partners. “We will continue to advocate sustainability efforts and strive for progress. TM has released our first Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report, 2 years ahead of Bursa Malaysia’s 2025 requirement. The report focuses on increasing transparency around the financial implications of an organisations’ climate-related risks and opportunities. “Though cautious with the overall outlook, we remain optimistic with the prospects of increased hyperconnectivity, continuous growth investments in connectivity and digitalisation across all customer segments. TM will continue to enable a Digital Malaysia by offering comprehensive suite of communication services and digital solutions benefitting communities, businesses and Government.”
TM One poised to offer comprehensive data centre capacity and data sovereignty for the government’s digital transformation
As the sole local CSP, TM One will ensure data sovereignty and greater trust, privacy and security in the migration and storage of Government and citizen data With the Malaysian Government’s Cloud Framework Agreement (CFA) formalised, the appointed Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) must now demonstrate their strategic offerings to potential clients. Anticipating the extended capabilities needed to implement the Government’s strategic shift to cloud, TM One, the enterprise and public sector business arm of Telekom Malaysia Group (TM), continues to expand its data centre portfolio. Furthermore, as the sole local CSP, TM One’s established in-country data centres, infrastructure and services ensure that all operations and transactions are independent of foreign regulations or third-party policies and requirements – which imparts greater agility and trust in the migration and supervision of Government and citizen data. Imri Mokhtar, Group Chief Executive Officer of TM said, “As Malaysia’s leader in end-to-end cloud and data centre services, we are committed to strengthening our digital offerings to meet the Government’s MyGovCloud requirements. Investing into the growth of our data centres will enable us to manage the volumes of public data throughout and after the migration process. Our locally-based infrastructure and cloud services also enable us to support the unique needs of the Malaysian Government, especially on data sovereignty.” With several carrier-neutral data centre facilities in Malaysia and one in Hong Kong that operate as multi-cloud providers for various hyperscalers, TM One is on course to launch its tenth centre, which will be a Tier III/Rated 3 Data Centre, anticipated to be unveiled in Q3 2022. With no less than 3MW of power and the ability to accommodate 700 equipment racks, this data centre will aim to improve power efficiency through its cooling system design which runs on modular air-cooled chillers. Across the board, TM One continues to strive towards achieving lower Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) while meeting the SLA of the customers. Similar to TM’s other globally certified hyperscale data centres in the Klang Valley, Iskandar Puteri and Brickfields, this new centre will also conform to security standards and certifications including ISO27001, PCI DSS, DCRA and TVRA which will safeguard the Government’s data and assets. Shazurawati Abd Karim, Executive Vice President of TM One said, “This latest edition to TM One’s data centres will include enhanced data security capabilities through TM One’s Cyber Defence Centre (CYDEC), addressing the Government’s potential risk areas including cybersecurity, compliance, privacy, ethics and social responsibility. To facilitate the transformative journey of individual Government agencies, TM One’s Professional Services team, along with our partner MSP, Cloud Connect, will work closely with these agencies on Cloud Design Planning, Migration Services, and Workload Optimisation Services, customising the solutions and experiences to the unique needs of each agency.” Cloud Connect, a local cloud broker and software engineering company will partner with TM One as its dedicated MSP. Having worked with service providers, enterprises, small-and-medium businesses, as well as Government agencies for a decade, Cloud Connect has a proven track record of implementing multiple enterprise integration projects, bringing together the right people, processes, and technological capabilities. This makes Cloud Connect the perfect fit to deliver TM One’s end-to-end cloud infrastructure and services to Government institutions in their transformation journey. Also addressing the importance of data residency, locality and sovereignty in the MyGovCloud endeavour, Shazurawati explains, “Our hyperscaled and intelligent cloud solutions and data centre facilities are governed by the laws of Malaysia, which guarantees data sovereignty and privacy for the Malaysian Government and its citizens. This removes the need and risk of foreign laws and policy intervention or inclusion, ensuring data privacy and security, while enabling greater flexibility and agility in Government services. “With our deep understanding of the Malaysian landscape and a full suite of established services and infrastructure, we are confident that our infrastructure, solutions, and partnership with Cloud Connect will enable the Government to reach their next advantage, today and tomorrow,” she concluded.
YTM and Istana Negara equips higher risk communities with disaster preparedness
Facilitates the development of localised Emergency Response Plans Over the years, Yayasan TM (YTM) has been actively involved in disaster emergency response efforts and lent its helping hand to affected communities in various ways. With many tragic losses of life and property due to natural disasters, it is imperative to help the public better understand the importance of preparedness, the risks involved and build capacities for pre-emptive and early action, including identifying vulnerabilities and potential impact on people and assets. Through its latest initiative, the YTM-Istana Negara Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Programme (CBDRRM), organised in collaboration with Istana Negara, the programme is aimed at empowering communities especially women and children as well as building community resilience during disasters with the necessary knowledge and skills in disaster preparedness - in alignment to the Government's aspiration to nurture a disaster preparedness culture among Malaysians. For the inaugural edition of the programme, YTM identified three (3) high risk areas in Kuantan, Maran and Bentong districts in Pahang. This is also a continuation from the support to the local communities post-flood early this year where YTM, together with Istana Negara provided basic necessities, workforce and monetary assistance to citizens in Karak, Ulu Tembeling and Kuantan districts. “This CBDRRM programme is both important and timely, in view of frequent heavy rain and storms of late. We hope that the local communities will fully utilise the skills and knowledge obtained from the initiative, to be better prepared for in the event of any flood incidents in their respective areas, minimising the impact and ultimately, saving lives,” said Izlyn Ramli, Director of YTM. “We were delighted to find that these modules were very helpful for them based on their feedback. Meanwhile, we remain on the ready to deploy response and humanitarian aid should the need arise,” she added. The first one was held in August 2022 for the community in Perumahan Awam Kos Rendah (PAKR) Sungai Pandan, Kuantan, which saw a total of 120 participants attending, while the second was held in Maran in September. With the support of the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) as well as the TM Reaching Out Volunteers (TMROVers), the programme was conducted by 12 humanitarian experts with vast disaster response experience, including risk and reduction management from Red A Humanitarian Global. The modules highlighted the importance of disaster preparedness, hands-on session to develop localised Emergency Response Plans, water safety and practical swimming, as well as simulation exercises. The participants were also briefed on mental health management and creating children-friendly spaces (CFS) as an added element. For any emergency response plan to work, active participation from the community becomes crucial. During the programme, the communities were also connected to their local government agencies such as the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (BOMBA), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Malaysia Civil Defence Force (APM), Jabatan Pengairan & Saliran (JPS) Negeri Pahang for better disaster response in the future. The third and final session was organised recently in Bentong in collaboration with Istana Negara and attended by 125 participants. Via the three (3) series of CBDRRM in Pahang, YTM have reached a total of 458 community members and local government agencies; inclusively, empowering 123 female participants and 167 children and teenagers. This initiative is aligned with our aspiration to build capacity in disaster preparedness among community members, especially women and children, who are considered first responders’ priority when a disaster occurs. YTM will continuously support the community for better disaster preparedness and response through community leadership and self-empowerment.
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