John Loke rejoined MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd in April as chief technology officer after nearly a decade at the company and five years leading broadband delivery at Singapore-based Kacific Broadband Satellite Group. His task involves shifting MEASAT from a satellite bandwidth provider to a managed-services platform that serves hospitals, government agencies, farmers, and fishing communities with measurable outcomes rather than just connectivity.
From orbital slots to intelligent platforms
For three decades, MEASAT has operated Malaysia’s geostationary orbit satellites, massive machines positioned 36000 kilometers above Earth to deliver data and broadcast signals. The emergence of low Earth orbit networks like Starlink, which now serves consumers across Southeast Asia, changed the setting. Selling bandwidth alone is no longer sufficient.
Loke spent his time away from MEASAT observing how customers and partners viewed Malaysian satellite infrastructure. He identified underutilized assets: orbital positions, ground infrastructure in Langkawi and Cyberjaya, and long-standing relationships with government, telcos, and rural broadband providers. The missing element was a layer of digital intelligence built on that foundation.
“My years away were the most instructive period of my career,” Loke says. “I could see the gaps and the untapped potential.”
MEASAT became an authorized Starlink reseller but Loke emphasizes integration as its real advantage. The company combines Starlink’s LEO network with its own GEO capacity under a single Software-Defined Wide Area Network layer. Customers who purchase directly from Starlink receive only LEO service, while MEASAT offers a hybrid solution that outperforms either component alone.
For rural communities and industries lacking reliable terrestrial infrastructure, this hybrid model could bring significant change. MEASAT is developing vertical software-as-a-service solutions in telehealth, agricultural sensors, and maritime connectivity. The aim is not just to sell bandwidth but to create dependency on outcomes, such as enabling remote medical consultations, monitoring crop conditions, or keeping fishing vessels connected at sea.
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The transition requires more than technology. It involves redefining what a national spacetech company does—moving from utility to solutions provider. Hospitals need reliable telehealth platforms, not satellites. Farmers require actionable data from soil sensors, not just megabits. MEASAT must turn its infrastructure into practical tools without losing sight of the physical realities of satellite operations.
Balancing sovereignty and collaboration
MEASAT’s 91.5° East orbital position is a national asset, licensed to a Malaysian company and tailored to the country’s needs. The ground infrastructure in Langkawi and Cyberjaya operates under Malaysian regulatory oversight, and the engineering workforce is local. Loke argues this matters for digital sovereignty, a priority under Malaysia Madani, which has pushed for greater control over AI, data, and infrastructure.
“A country relying entirely on foreign satellite infrastructure for critical communications has given up some control over a strategic resource,” he says. Foreign operators set pricing, service continuity, and coverage decisions that may not align with Malaysian interests. MEASAT, however, can prioritize emergency response communications during disasters or design solutions meeting government classification requirements.
That approach doesn’t mean competing directly with global constellations in consumer broadband. Instead, MEASAT partners with LEO providers like Starlink while ensuring Malaysia retains the infrastructure, expertise, and institutional knowledge to remain a spacetech nation rather than just a consumer of foreign space services.
Orbital sustainability also plays a role. GEO satellites are typically moved to a graveyard orbit 300 kilometers above the GEO belt at the end of their lives, while LEO constellations pose a greater debris risk. MEASAT considers de-orbit commitments when choosing partners, avoiding providers that neglect orbital stewardship. Its own satellites follow International Telecommunication Union guidelines, with fuel reserved for end-of-life disposal.
A second engine for growth
Under Loke’s leadership, MEASAT is building a second revenue stream that grows faster and offers higher margins than capacity sales. The exact breakdown depends on execution and market adoption, but the focus is clear: managed services and vertical solutions will shape the company’s future.
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“The goal isn’t to abandon GEO capacity,” Loke says. “It remains a valuable asset with long contract durations and predictable revenue. We’re adding a second engine to make MEASAT’s overall value more distinctive and defensible.”
This involves investing in systems integration to manage multi-orbit services, developing vertical solutions like the Sihat Xpress telehealth infrastructure and Tianqi LEO IoT services for agriculture, and building capabilities to handle complex networks. The satellite is no longer the product but the platform. Innovation now occurs on top of and alongside that foundation.
For Loke, the CTO role in 2026 requires balancing opposites: engineering fundamentals and digital intelligence, physical infrastructure and software layers, sovereignty and collaboration. “The physical infrastructure is the moat,” he says. “The digital layer drives revenue.”
MEASAT’s prepaid satellite broadband service, CONNECTme NOW, has already connected half a million Malaysians, mostly in rural and remote areas. Powered by solar energy and designed for low-infrastructure environments, the service reflects the company’s broader shift from selling connectivity to delivering outcomes.
“I want MEASAT to become essential for Malaysia’s hospitals, government agencies, farmers, and fishing communities—not just for connectivity, but for results,” Loke says. “That’s harder to build than a satellite, but it lasts longer.”
