Ts. Dr Cecilia Adrian, Director of Digital Government Division, Jabatan Digital Negara, Malaysia

1. How do you use your role to ensure that technology and policy are truly inclusive?

As the leader of the Digital Government Division of Jabatan Digital Negara (JDN), the role has strengthened my belief that every digital initiative introduced to citizens must be grounded in three important principles: accessibility, equity, and meaningful improvement of the citizens’ lives.

Overseeing decision making, and owning up to the role of policy making in government digitalization and transformation, engaging and understanding the needs of different population segment and social groups are an essential starting point in “ensuring that no one is left behind”.

At JDN, we are committed to ensuring that our policies and initiatives not only remain theoretical but also translate into real and practical accessibility on the ground. This is how we contribute to Malaysia’s vision of becoming AI Nation by 2030.

2. What’s a moment in your career when you saw first-hand how technology or a new policy changed a citizen’s life for the better?

Stepping into the responsibility of leading a team to modernise one of our government’s legacy services was both a privilege and a significant learning curve. The challenge was entirely new to me, but it became a defining experience that strengthened my leadership across three critical dimensions of digital transformation.

First, I had to understand the system’s architecture, its constraints, and the potential of new digital tools to ensure that every decision was grounded in technical reality rather than assumptions. Knowing it like the back of my hand helped me guide the team with clarity, especially when balancing innovation with risk.

Speaking of the team, none of this would have been possible without team understanding. The team was navigating new technologies, and tight timelines. Being present, listening actively, and supporting the team through uncertainty played a crucial role in building trust and sustaining momentum.

With that, we adopted a data-driven approach to decision-making. We relied heavily on user feedback, performance logs, and analytics to prioritise features, identify bottlenecks, and encourage improvements. This evidence-based approach reduced guesswork and helped the team focus on changes that truly mattered to public service delivery.

Looking back, I am grateful for the opportunity to guide the team through this transformation. Successfully deploying the new technology was more than a technical achievement, it was a reminder of how strong leadership, grounded in both human and technical capabilities, can turn unfamiliar challenges into meaningful progress for the public sector.

3. What was the most impactful project you worked on this year, and how did you measure its success in building trust and serving the needs of the public?

Although I have not occupied my current role at JDN for very long and am still relatively new, I have already witnessed how tirelessly the JDN team works to deliver the government’s digital transformation agenda successfully.

From advancing the Government Online Services 2.0 project, expanding the Data Sharing Platform (MyGDX), and strengthening open data quality, to empowering the use of massive data and accelerating the integration of AI technologies across various government digital initiatives - the team’s dedication has been truly inspiring. Being part of the team really proves, “if everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”.

4. What was one unexpected lesson you learned this year about designing for real people?

I’ve learned that productivity is not about doing more, it’s about elevating what already exists. Delivering better services, achieving better outcomes, and ultimately improving citizens’ lives. We often assume that people want more features, but through careful observation and genuine understanding, I realised it is quite the opposite. What communities truly value is clarity, predictability, and empathy in the digital services they use.

The key takeaway is simple yet profound: for technology to truly uplift public welfare, it must adapt to their needs and fit seamlessly into their daily realities, not force them to adapt to it.

5. We hear a lot about AI. What’s a practical example of how AI can make government services more inclusive and trustworthy?

To ensure Malaysia does not fall behind in technological modernisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) especially with the rise of AI, the government remains committed to introducing a diverse range of technologies that benefit everyone. While these advancements aim to enhance service efficiency and expand digital convenience, it is equally important that digital services retain a human touch.

In addition, JDN is currently in the planning phase of developing the Public Sector Agentic AI platform, aimed at providing an intelligent and inclusive platform for delivering information and services to the public.

6. How are you preparing for the next wave of change in the public sector?

There are three elements that need to be centralised to elevate the process of the next wave of change is:

1. Understanding the technology and changes, thus ensuring the transition is transparent and fair;
2. Reskilling and upskilling the team, especially in data literacy and service design; and
3. Scenario planning and adapting the emerging technology change to current services to increase efficiency.

7. What advice do you have for public sector innovators who want to build a career serving all citizens?

Having a deep understanding of needs, and not just technology, is crucial to me. Learn the language of both policy and technology, they are two halves of the same solution. When you build for the margins, or when solutions work for the most vulnerable, they work for everyone. Also, take care of your integrity, trust is the real currency of public innovation.

8. Who inspires you to build a more inclusive and trustworthy public sector?

Not an individual per se, but rather the broader global community of various developed nations inspire me, particularly the way they cultivate inclusive, trustworthy, and citizen-centric public sectors. For instance, I am genuinely impressed by the advancements in AI integration in other countries, as well as their commitment to service excellence all provide valuable lessons.

Observing how these nations leverage technology to build public trust encourages me to pursue a more future-ready public sector. It’s amazing how these developed nations have managed to build a strong, seamless linkage between their people and their technological ecosystems. Learning from their collective insights, each of which has demonstrated remarkable leadership in digital transformation gives me invaluable insight in order to translate vision into scalable, citizen-centric solutions.

Similarly, I also draw strength from the many women leaders who quietly pave the way in technology and public service. The impact of women leaders, from heads of government to digital transformation pioneers, illustrate how leadership can strengthen accountability and empathy in decision-making. I hope to foster a digital organisation that mirrors the same insight and innovation in the services we deliver.

9. If you had an unlimited budget, what would your dream project be?

My dream project is to build a platform that consolidates all public services into a single, adaptive interface, powered by personalisation, zero-barrier authentication and of course, with Malaysian image and identity.

Basically, a system where every citizen can access healthcare, licensing, education, financial aid, and community services through one secure, personalised digital gateway. It would be designed around the public’s need. Not only will this platform use AI to anticipate needs, simplify processes, and make public services efficient, but it’s also intuitively human.

As of now, many public services still operate in a way that requires citizens to come to us. My goal is to reverse that dynamic, to create a system where the government proactively meets people where they are.

10. Outside tech, what excites you the most?

Outside of tech, I’m most energized by community building work. Somehow, I find real joy in creating spaces where people feel seen, supported and connected. I’m also passionate about uplifting women and youth, and I regularly involve myself in initiatives that help them grow, lead and discover their strengths.

On a more personal note, creative pursuits such as storytelling, culture, and design bring balance to my life and keep me inspired.