Software Engineer at GovTech Nucleus Unit (GNU)

Overview

As a core engineer within Malaysia’s flagship MyDIGITAL initiative, I serve in the GovTech Nucleus Unit—an elite, agile technical force tasked with the end-to-end modernization of the nation’s public services. I architect, build, and deploy highly scalable, cloud-native, and hybrid applications designed to dismantle organizational silos and solve complex public sector challenges. By establishing strict engineering standards and managing secure deployments across both cloud and local infrastructures, I ensure national data sovereignty while delivering faster, more accessible, and intuitive digital experiences to millions of Malaysians.

Role

Operating frequently as the Frontend Lead and Core Maintainer across multiple high-stakes repositories, I drive the end-to-end delivery of enterprise-grade applications—from initial architectural planning to production-ready deployment. I specialize in engineering dynamic, high-performance interfaces using React, Next.js, and TypeScript, integrated seamlessly with robust backend architectures.

A technical anchor for my teams, I regularly step up to assume ownership of critical systems, bridge the gap between UI/UX design and strict technical execution, and act as the primary technical liaison during high-pressure UAT/FAT phases. I manage complex hybrid deployment lifecycles, ensuring unparalleled stability, scalability, and security across both cloud and on-premises environments.

Key Contributions & Technical Impact

High-Performance Frontend Architecture

Rapid Execution & Delivery
Engineered 65% of the frontend codebase for the MyGov Portal from scratch in an aggressive 14-day sprint, meeting strict government deadlines.

Complex UI/UX Engineering
Architected a highly optimized, non-blocking interactive Leaflet map for Portal Sekolahku, standardizing over 10,000 school profiles into a single, fluid interface.

Multi-Tenancy & AI Integration
Developed the foundational, scalable multi-tenant architecture for RDMKD, paving the way for a whole-of-government digital management system featuring smart semantic search and automated classification.

Design System Leadership & Advocacy (MYDS)

Core Maintainer
Took full technical ownership of the @govtechmy/myds-react package, ensuring cross-repository stability for enterprise-level applications.

Developer Advocacy
Led nationwide technical workshops (Bengkel) as the primary instructor, training cross-agency Information Technology Officers (PTM) in modern Next.js/React development standards and design system integration.

Pioneering Standards
Established the foundational directory UI for Directory.gov.my, creating the design standard now utilized across all government platforms adopting MYDS.

Search, Data & Analytics Optimization

Advanced Search Engineering
Configured Elasticsearch for AskMyGov and Directory.gov.my, and built complex payload-driven search states for Hansard Parliament to instantly retrieve and highlight exact phrases within massive legislative archives.

Government Compliance Integration
Successfully implemented SPLaSK (Sistem Pemantauan Laman Web dan Servis Kerajaan) tracking capabilities into the headless architecture of the KD Portal to ensure national compliance and web quality metrics.

Cloud Infrastructure, DevOps & CI/CD

Cloud Architecture & Containerization
Managed containerized applications via Docker and Kubernetes, deploying high-availability services across AWS EKS, ECR, and S3.

Cost & Performance Optimization
Executed a rapid, zero-downtime migration of media assets from Vercel Blob to AWS S3 for the MyGov Portal, significantly reducing ongoing infrastructure costs for the government.

Critical Debugging
Diagnosed and resolved severe Next.js rendering bugs (SSR/SSG/ISR failures on AWS Amplify for Hansard Parliament) and traced silent memory overflow crashes to sharp library conflicts in Sekolahku.

Team Leadership & Agile Management

Mentorship & Upskilling
Transitioned junior developers from basic HTML paradigms to advanced React/Next.js architectures, ensuring long-term code maintainability.

Security & Versioning
Proactively audited and executed framework version upgrades to patch active CVEs across the ecosystem, ensuring bulletproof security for citizen data.

Impact

Digital Public Services Enhancement

My work within the Nucleus Unit directly accelerates Malaysia's digital transformation. By replacing fragmented, legacy systems with unified, high-performance platforms, I have drastically reduced friction for citizens accessing educational data, parliamentary records, and core government services. Beyond writing code, I have fostered an ecosystem of reusable engineering standards and secure deployment protocols that will scale alongside the nation's digital ambitions for years to come.

Previous Experiences

Bateriku (M) Sdn Bhd

Software Engineer

April 2024 - May 2024

As a Software Engineer/Developer at Bateriku (M) Sdn Bhd, I was responsible for maintaining backend systems using Ruby on Rails , ensuring high performance and reliability . My active participation in the full development lifecycle , from planning to deployment, helped streamline workflows and accelerate delivery timelines .

Chemiz (M) Sdn Bhd

Production Manager

September 2020 - April 2024

Production Manager at Chemiz (M) Sdn Bhd, leading the development and implementation of ISO 9001, ISO 19001, and ISO 13485 standards to ensure compliance with international quality management practices. Spearheaded the integration of cloud-based storage solutions , improving data management and reducing reliance on physical documentation. Directed production teams in maintaining the highest quality assurance standards, while driving cost-effective operational improvements and leading new product development initiatives in Lab (Formulations) operations.

Harris Azmi