Dr Mahathir said the second phase would involve expanding the MSC to other cyber cities in the country, and, later, various parts of the world. The move would see an increase in the number of Malaysians working in high-skilled jobs with better pay, he said.
“By training our people and creating opportunities for them to work in higher paid jobs, the MSC would then contribute towards the progress of the country and make it a developed nation,” he told a press conference after chairing the MSC International Advisory Panel (IAP) meeting in the afternoon.
The second phase – to last until 2010 – would also involve the participation of 250 world-class companies in the MSC, the setting of global standards in the MSC’s Flagship Applications, and the development of a harmonised global framework of cyber laws.
Dr Mahathr also said the Government would consider extending the incentives currently enjoyed by MSC-status companies to other cyber cities in Malaysia.
He added that the rules governing the involvement of public university researchers in R&D initiatives with the private sector would have to be relaxed in order to encourage greater university-industry collaboration.
At the launching ceremony, Dr Mahathir paid tribute to all those responsible to get the MSC, launched in 1996, off ground.
“It is through their passion and dedication that has transformed this palm oil estate into what it is today. It may not be Silicon Valley, but at least it is the kind of facilities that we can be proud of,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said when Malaysia first ventured into the project, it went in half-blind but with full confidence.
Multimedia Development Corporation chairman Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali said the corporation was gratified that despite the impending political change, it could be assured of full support and commitment from the Government to carry on with the second phase of the project.
At a separate press conference in the evening, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he would focus on education, e-communities and e-government for the second phase of the MSC.
Abdullah, who will assume the chairmanship of the IAP next year, said the coming generation of Malaysians would need to be equipped with the necessary skills and expertise to drive the future development of the MSC.
There was also be a need to develop more e-communities throughout the country, in which Malaysians could use ICT and the Internet in their daily lives, Abdullah told reporters after meeting with several members of the IAP in the afternoon.
“We need to increase Internet penetration and community computing facilities in the country further,” he added.
Abdullah said e-government initiatives and services would have to be enhanced further and the use of such services increased so that the people would realise and experience the benefits of ICT.
He added that if people were not aware of the importance of ICT, initiatives like e-government would not achieve their objectives.
He said he had given his assurances to IAP members that he would give due priority to the IAP and the development of MSC when he becomes Prime Minister.
Abdullah also said IAP representatives conveyed the continued commitment of their companies to the MSC, and expressed their desire to expand existing operations here.
IAP members were interested in employing more Malaysians with the necessary expertise in the MSC, especially those with Masters degrees and doctorates.
Quelle: The Star, 06.09.2003
