TM R&D’s AI-powered forestry innovation wins at Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2025

It was recognised for transforming forestry assessments with AI for biodiversity conservation in Malaysia.

Telekom Research & Development Sdn Bhd (TM R&D), a subsidiary of MMU, has clinched the prestigious AI - Environmental Services category at the Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards 2025. This recognition celebrates TM R&D’s breakthrough in Smart Forestry AI Tools Enhancement, which is revolutionising forestry assessments and advancing biodiversity conservation in Malaysia.

The award-winning innovation leverages AI to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of forestry assessments, a crucial step in conserving Malaysia’s rich biodiversity. Developed in collaboration with the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), the solution addresses key challenges in tree data collection, particularly the measurement of diameter at breast height (DBH), which is vital for calculating forest growing stock, basal area, biomass, and carbon stock.

Dr Sharlene Thiagarajah, Chief Executive Officer of TM R&D, expressed her appreciation for the achievement: “At TM R&D, we are committed to harnessing AI to create real-world impact. This award reaffirms our dedication to driving innovation that not only enhances efficiency and safety in forestry assessments but also supports sustainability and biodiversity conservation. By leveraging AI, we are empowering conservation efforts and contributing to Malaysia’s climate action goals.”

The AI-powered solution, launched in 2024, utilises a mobile app that captures tree images and automatically calculates DBH without the need for additional equipment or reference objects. This innovation significantly reduces the time taken for data collection from two minutes per tree to just 20 seconds, with an impressive 96% accuracy rate in tree segmentation and an error margin of only 1.2 cm for branched and leaning trees.

Dr Sharlene further acknowledged the crucial role of FRIM in this achievement: “We extend our gratitude to our research partners at FRIM for their invaluable expertise in forestry and biodiversity management. Their collaboration has been instrumental in ensuring our AI-driven solution delivers meaningful impact for conservation efforts.”

Traditionally, forestry assessments require ground-level measurements, which are time-consuming and pose safety risks, especially when working at heights. With TM R&D’s AI solution, the process is not only faster but also safer, enabling quicker reporting of carbon stock inventories and supporting informed decision-making for forest protection.

This innovation aligns with Malaysia’s commitment to combating climate change and preserving biodiversity. By streamlining data collection and enhancing accuracy, TM R&D’s solution is set to become a game-changer in sustainable forestry management.

The Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards recognises industry leaders who are driving technological innovation and digital transformation in Malaysia.

For more information about TM R&D and its innovations, visit www.tmrnd.com.my, email [email protected], or follow TM Research & Development on LinkedIn for the latest updates.

The Malaysia Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].