Malaysia Case Study

Malaysia is, in many ways, an atypical country. It is hard to categorize and neither developed nor developing, or both, depending on the region. It is characterized by great disparities within the country and faces the dilemma of ensuring its regional and global competitiveness in ICT while at the same time ensuring equitable ICT access in rural areas.  Thus there are projects such as the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), a government-driven initiative to develop a Malaysian Silicon Valley, as well as the Internet Desa, a program to install Internet centers in rural areas.

The Internet is developing rapidly in Malaysia, helped by some of the lowest dial-up rates in the world (around 40 US cents per hour). As a result, there were some 1.2 million Internet subscribers—the majority residential—at the end of 2000 with an estimated 15 per cent of the population using the Internet. Broadband access is predominantly via leased lines. Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology is being tested but is not yet widely available. Pay television service is mainly through Direct-to-Home satellite technology so cable modem access is not an option in Malaysia. Another option for broadband access is through fixed wireless but there are a number of technical and regulatory challenges to overcome in this area.

An ITU team, consisting of Vanessa Gray, Michael Minges and Lucy Firth, carried out field research for Malaysia from 2-6 April 2001. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (CMC)—the country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) regulator—served as counterpart and organized meetings with relevant government and industry organization.

source :  ICT Data and Statistics (IDS)

Alternative to textbooks

 Date : June 1,2009

THE Terengganu State Government, Top IT Industries Sdn Bhd and Intel Malaysia launched the Projek Buku Elektronik recently, providing 25,000 Intel-powered Classmate personal computers or eBooks to Standard Five pupils in the State's schools.

A brainchild of the Terengganu State Government , Projek Buku Elekronik represents the first step towards  harnessing the benefits of technology to make education more efficient by delivering the school curriculum in a digitised format, as an alternative to heavy textbooks.
The project is also part of the State government's ongoing effort to enhance the quality of education through direct ownership of portable PC devices and IT-based learning, thus injecting renewed enthusiasm for learning  in the classroom and at home.
"Projek Buku Elektronik is a bold first step the State Government is taking, and it will be the catalyst for a new chapter in Malaysia's education curriculum.
We strongly believe ICT plays a very important role in supporting the development of human capital and we are optimistic that the use of Intelpowered Classmate PCs in the classroom will have a positive impact on the critical thinking, communication and digital literacy skills of students," said Datuk Ahmad Said, Menteri Besar of Terengganu.
With the partnership between the State Government, Top IT Industries Sdn Bhd and Intel Malaysia becoming official in December 2008, the first shipment of eBooks arrived from Taiwan three weeks ago and were distributed to the first batch of pupils at the end of May.  

Source : Malay Mail

Make full use of ICT while adapting to changes

Date : November 10,2011

By : Calvin Yeo

KUCHING: Graduates must make full use of the information communication technology to improve themselves while adapting to the changing environment.
Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud said this would enable the creation of an excellent, quality and knowledgeable human capital that could help in realising the country’s vision of becoming an industrialised nation by 2020.
“The technology, economy and social development plays an important role in the country’s transformation.
“The graduates should feel blessed with the government policies, which have created many job and education opportunities,” he said at the 14th convocation of Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS) and International College of Advanced Technology Sarawak (ICATS).

The text of his speech was read by Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.

Taib said as the country progressed, the government had come up with many strategies to meet the demand for more job opportunities.

He said skilled graduates were much sought after now as the country needed more skilled workers to achieve industrialised nation status.

“The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), which comprises various sectors, intends to attract foreign investment and to develop the state’s economy.

“It has attracted RM26.4bil of investment and so far, four international companies have sited their operations in SCORE,” he said, adding that SCORE had changed its surrounding landscape to one with ample infrastructure facilities.

He said SCORE would create more than one million job opportunities by 2030.

More than 400 graduates received their scrolls during the ceremony yesterday.

 Source : The Star Online

MELAKA: The state government received an allocation of RM50 million from the federal government to develop information, communication and technology (ICT) for a period of four years, from 2007 until March this year.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said through the allocation, four projects were implemented, namely broadband infrastructure in all the districts, an integrated network pilot project, a project to narrow the digital divide and fiber optic broadband infrastructure.

"The state government also allocated RM2.7 million for the projects to ensure ICT keeps advancing every year," he said in reply to Ab Rahaman Ab Karim (BN-Pantai Kundor) during the state assembly here today.

He said the progress of ICT in the state was measured in the aspects of skills, infrastructure and content in the form of basic computer training encompassing computer usage, internet surfing and social media usage.

Mohd Ali said as at Sept 2011, 94 training programmes had been organised, involving 3,165 participants.

He said 715 locations were proposed in 2011 for the installation of WiFi at hotspots dan hotzones for residents.

According to data issued by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as at the second quarter of this year, 706 hotspots had been installed in the state.

He said the state government had also appointed Melaka ICT Holdings (MITCH) as a one-stop centre in the installation of the integrated telecommunication tower in the state.

Mohd Ali said there are 733 TM WiFi coverage areas throughout the state, most of which are located in Bandar Hilir with 294, and Ayer Keroh, with 166.

"The main criteria for the installation is supermarkets, business complexes, higher education institutions, tourist spots and transport centres," he said in reply to Chua Keng Hwa (BN-Bemban).

Mohd Ali said the consumer targets are professionals, officers, managers, business people, higher education students and domestic and foreign tourists. --BERNAMA

Sources :

News Straits Times Online

Definition of INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ;)

Information Technology

We use the term information technology or IT to refer to an entire industry. In actuality, information technology is the use of computers and software to manage information. In some companies, this is referred to as Management Information Services (or MIS) or simply as Information Services (or IS). The information technology department of a large company would be responsible for storing information, protecting information, processing the information, transmitting the information as necessary, and later retrieving information as necessary.

Ok then,thank you :D