Dato’ Kamarul Redzuan Muhamed, Group CEO of Uzma Berhad, is a visionary leader driving the company’s expansion from energy to advanced space technology. With his strong background in petroleum engineering and geological oceanography, Dato’ Kamarul has steered Uzma in developing innovative solutions that align with Malaysia’s strategic space goals. As the world converges on Langkawi for LIMA ’25, with the theme “Innovate Today, Thrive Tomorrow,” Malaysia’s space ambitions take centre stage. Uzma’s launch of UzmaSAT-1, the nation’s first commercial very high-resolution Earth observation satellite, marks a major milestone in this journey. In this edition of myForesight®, Dato’ Kamarul shares how Uzma’s bold ventures are shaping the future of Malaysia’s space industry.
Reimagining Uzma: From Energy Company to Tech-Driven Organisation
When we launched UzmaSAT-1, it was not just about putting a satellite into orbit. For me, it was about reimagining what Uzma could be – not just an energy company, but a technology-driven organisation contributing to national progress. We have been in the oil and gas sector for over 25 years but five or six years ago, I began to see fundamental changes in the industry. The cycles were getting more volatile, and external disruptions made it clear that we needed to diversify. That is when we mapped out a five-year plan. By the end of it, 40% of our income would come from non-oil and gas sectors. This led us to high-tech opportunities aligned with national priorities like digitalisation and geospatial intelligence. That is how Uzma Space was born, initially focusing on analytics. However, we soon realised that if we really wanted to lead, we had to own the data. So, we took the bold step of launching our satellite.
UzmaSAT-1 is Malaysia’s first commercially-operated very high-resolution Earth observation satellite, and we are proud of that. It is part of a 25-satellite constellation by Satellogic, which gives us frequent revisit rates and submeter imagery, a capability that Malaysia has not had since RazakSAT-1.
Before this, we were dependent on foreign data sources. We can now deliver imagery supporting energy, agriculture, security and more. We have also been using it to help smallholders comply with EU deforestation laws. It is industry-agnostic and future-focused.
Filling the Data Gap: UzmaSAT-1 and Malaysia’s High-Tech Future
Uzma Berhad contributes significantly to Malaysia’s goal of reducing dependence on foreign technology by fostering local expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI), geospatial analytics and space-related engineering. As I mentioned earlier, Malaysia has historically relied on data sourced from overseas, despite having domestic capabilities to analyse such data.
Unlike past efforts, heavily dependent on foreign data providers, UzmaSAT-1 offers a continuous stream of commercially available imagery supporting sectors such as energy, agriculture, infrastructure and environmental compliance.
We are not trying to replace Government initiatives. Instead, UzmaSAT-1 contributes to filling the imagery gap for industries, especially as many players now rely on terrestrial data or foreign satellite access. Our goal is to complement the ecosystem.
Through our vertically integrated approach, from satellite tasking to in-house analytics via our Uzma Digital Earth (UDE) platform, Uzma offers stakeholders a new way to see the unseen, track change over time, and make smarter decisions with spatial context. Whether it is identifying deforestation risks, monitoring pipeline rights-of-way, or assessing agricultural productivity, UzmaSAT-1 is unlocking insights that were previously harder to access or interpret.
Until Malaysia launches its own Earth observation satellite under initiatives like Pembangunan Satelit Penderiaan Jauh Negara (PSPJN), UzmaSAT-1 will fill this gap.
By providing dense and commercially attractive data, UzmaSAT-1 enables more people to utilise this information for various applications. We have been working closely with industries and universities, including International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UITM), to leverage this data for solving national challenges. For example, we are using our data to investigate recent industrial incidents, such as explosions, to see if methane leaks were detectable in the days leading up to the event. Additionally, we are helping major clients monitor pipelines in Sabah and assisting smallholders in the palm oil industry, both locally and internationally, to comply with the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR). The volume of work generated by UzmaSAT-1 is creating opportunities for capacity building, as more people are able to work with this data and develop meaningful analytics.
The impact of UzmaSAT-1 on capability development is significant because it provides a throughput of previously missing data. Now, with this data available, many more people can engage with it and come up with innovative solutions. This not only enhances local expertise in geospatial analytics and AI but also supports Malaysia’s broader strategy of reducing reliance on foreign technology. By fostering a domestic ecosystem that can analyse and apply satellite data effectively, Uzma is helping to build sustainable capabilities in high-tech sectors.
Charting Malaysia’s Space Future: From Policy to Industry Impact
Malaysia’s space industry is poised for significant growth over the next decade, driven by well-crafted policies such as Malaysia Space Exploration 2030, Dasar Angkasa Negara (DAN) 2017, and Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) 2030. These strategic initiatives include clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), one of which aims to ensure that the space economy contributes approximately 1% of the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP), amounting to about RM10 billion annually. Achieving this ambitious target will require robust collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders. I envision substantial growth in this area, as the industry evolves and matures.
In the short term, Malaysia will likely become increasingly self-reliant, reducing its reliance on foreign data acquisition and making more substantial contributions to the national economy. As the industry progresses, it will play a pivotal role in fostering economic growth and development. Malaysia’s strong semiconductor industry and investments in Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) provide a solid foundation for positioning the country as a major player in the global space economy. However, sustaining this momentum will necessitate long-term programmes and strategic pacing, as space development is inherently a marathon rather than a sprint.
The government’s PSPJN programme marks a promising beginning, but additional multi-year initiatives are crucial for ensuring continuity in talent development and industry advancement. Organisations like Malaysia Space Industry Consortium (MASIC) are advocating for such programmmees through Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) to maintain consistent progress. Malaysia boasts several advantages that could propel it to leadership in ASEAN’s space industry, including its favourable geographic location for launches, robust semiconductor ecosystem, and a talented workforce nurtured by local universities.
More Public-Private Partnership (PPP) programmes are essential to further catalyse growth in this sector, to distribute risks effectively between the government and private industry. While the government must prudently manage resources, industries should be bold enough to invest in innovative ventures. This approach was exemplified by UzmaSAT-1, where we took the initiative to invest in our own equipment to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s progress. This is how I envision Malaysia’s space industry unfolding in the future.
When Uzma built UzmaSAT-1, it collaborated with partners for the satellite’s construction while managing the project. However, the analytics aspect is entirely an indigenous Malaysian effort. Uzma boasts a strong team of data scientists, AI engineers and machine learning experts who developed algorithms to process and analyse the satellite data, making the analytics a fully domestic product. A key innovation introduced by Uzma is vertical integration, unlike before, where one company handled data acquisition and another managed analytics, Uzma now acquires sovereign data and performs analytics in-house through its platform, Uzma Digital Earth (UDE). This platform supports various sectors such as plantations, agriculture and energy.
Uzma’s Vision for a Stronger Space Sector
In addition to vertical integration, Uzma emphasises collaboration, inviting universities, industry players, and government agencies to work together. For instance, Uzma recently signed a letter of intent with the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) to combine MYSA’s algorithms with Uzma’s data to develop impactful solutions. This collaborative approach strengthens capabilities across sectors while providing a robust platform for innovative applications. Uzma is setting a new benchmark for geospatial intelligence in Malaysia and beyond by integrating sovereign data acquisition with advanced analytics and fostering partnerships. We are not just trying to be part of the global space ecosystem. We are trying to help shape it, from right here in Malaysia. Because at the end of the day, this is not just about Uzma. It is about Malaysia’s future in space.
