PETRONAS, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), and TM One, TM’s enterprise and government sector solutions arm, have established Malaysia’s first private 5G research and development lab, the PETRONAS-UTP 5G Innovation Lab or PER5ONA.

Spearheaded by PETRONAS Project Delivery & Technology (PD&T) with TM One providing 5G connectivity services, PER5ONA is designed to develop and test future 5G-powered applications, enhance research capabilities, and foster technological innovation in the field.

PETRONAS Senior General Manager of Group Technical Solutions, PD&T, Mazri Mohd Ali said, “PER5ONA was created to drive innovation and excellence in advanced telecommunication technologies such as 5G. It provides a conducive environment for researchers to pioneer enhanced solutions that shape the future of our industry and to stay ahead of the curve in digital transformation, supporting Malaysia in realising its digital aspirations.

“PER5ONA will play a crucial role in exploring and developing multiple 5G use cases tailored to the operational needs of PETRONAS and beyond. The lab will also deliver 5G-enabled products to ensure operations are equipped with field-tested solutions with proven use cases,” Mazri added.

Shazurawati Abd Karim, Executive Vice President of TM One said, “TM One’s collaboration with PETRONAS and UTP on the PETRONAS UTP 5G Innovation Lab underscores its leadership as a digital enabler. By delivering end-to-end 5G solutions that power PER5ONA, TM reinforces its capabilities to deliver advanced digital infrastructure in fostering innovation within Malaysia’s energy and education sectors.

She added, “This partnership not only demonstrates TM’s ability to support industry’s transformative initiatives but cements our commitment as a key driver of Malaysia’s nation-building agenda, aligning with our Digital Powerhouse 2030 aspirations to deliver sustainable growth and technological advancement to communities, businesses and the nation.”

PER5ONA will focus on key industry applications such as remote operations, process automation, AI-driven technologies, and real-time data analytics — all critical for enhancing efficiency and safety within the energy sector. Serving as a controlled environment for hands-on testing of next-generation connectivity, the lab will enhance research and collaboration between academia and industry, while positioning UTP as a trailblazer in digital transformation within the higher education sector in the region.

By integrating 5G technology into research and academic programmes, UTP will offer its students and researchers access to advanced technologies such as augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) cloud computing, enriching their learning experience.

This initiative is a continuation of the corporations’ commitment to delivering operational excellence by leveraging advanced technologies such as enterprise Private 5G. It was marked by the historic launch of Malaysia’s first private 5G network for enterprise at PETRONAS’ Regasification Terminal Sungai Udang (RGTSU) Melaka, and subsequent installations at PETRONAS LNG Complex, among several other identified sites.