Private sector vital to ICT, literate generation by 2020, says assemblyman

Date : December 5,2011

By : Vanes Devindran

KUCHING: The private sector plays an important role when it comes to training trainers in the field of information-communication technology (ICT).

Demak Laut assemblyman Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said since there were only eight years to 2020 when Malaysia becomes a developed nation, the private sector would help expedite training and enable trainers to create an ICT-proficient generation.
“We are fast approaching 2020 and it is clear that if we want an ICT literate society, we need to have teachers who are well-trained and equipped to pass on their knowledge.

ICT savvy: Dr Hazland (fourth left), Eduspec Holdings Berhad chief executive officer Lim Een Hong (left), Prof Mohd Fadzil (sixth left) and some of the winners of the 19th Dynabook National ICT Competition.

“These teachers need to have global mindsets and skilful too so that we are assured that we have a generation well-versed in ICT.
“These teachers are mostly in the private sector, which is why this sector is vital to our ICT development,” he said when closing the 19th Dynabook National ICT Competition at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) .
He was representing Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.
Dr Hazland said it was not too late for Malaysia to achieve its goal towards having an ICT proficient society if the government had the support of the private sector.
As such, he said, the government always gave additional allocation for ICT education.
“We shouldn’t be easily satisfied. We need to constantly raise the bar because the world is getting more and more competitive. If we want to keep up, we need the keep on improving ourselves,” he said.
Earlier on, Unimas Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohd Fadzil Abdul Rahman said competition like this should be held frequently since not only does it promote ICT, it would even unearth talented individuals.
“Who knows, we might find the next Steve Jobs (Apple co-founder). After all the late Steve Jobs started in his backyard and so did Bill Gates (Microsoft co-founder). If these two great minds can make it, I don’t see why our children can’t do so too,” he said.
The event had 650 students from 61 primary schools nationwide participating and the competition encompasses computer drawing at the junior and senior levels, general knowledge and typing skill.
The winners are namely Lee Jia Yu from SJK (C) Yuk Kwan, Perak (general knowledge), Ching Jia Sing from Kong Min Pusat, Penang (junior drawing), Nigel Leong Zheng Hao from SJK (C) Chung Hwa, Sabah (senior drawing) and Oh Coyun from SJK (C) Chong Hwa Setapak KL (typing).
The event was held by Dynabook, a subsidiary of Eduspec Holdings Berhad, Unimas and the Federation of Kuching and the Youth Section of Samarahan Division Chinese Associations.
The 20th Dynabook National ICT Competition will be held in Malacca.

Source :  The Star Online

 

Microsoft upbeat on IT growth in Malaysia

Date : December 6,2011



Information technology (IT) will be among the strongest catalyst in assisting Malaysia achieve a per capita income of US$15,000 by 2020, says Microsoft Malaysia Sdn Bhd's managing director, Ananth Lazarus.

"We are very excited with the growth of IT in Malaysia, and see vast opportunities for it to grow even more, in the coming years," he told reporters after Microsoft's second annual Accelerating Asia Pacific Summit today.

He also said Microsoft Malaysia is confident that the contribution of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) will rise to 41 per cent by 2020 from the current 32 per cent.

"Microsoft is very committed to its growth here in Malaysia, and to date, we have built an ecosystem of 5,000 partners.

"According to the International Data Corporation, for every US$1 that Microsoft earns in revenue in Malaysia, US$13.39 is generated for the local ICT industry," he added.

Ananth said Microsoft Malaysia has established two Microsoft Innovation Centres in the country, namely in the Malaysian Institute Of Microelectronic Systems Bhd (MIMOS) and Multimedia Development Corp (MDeC), to help Malaysian technopreneurs accelerate technology commercialisation.

"Furthermore, our BizSpark programme supports over 120 companies by giving them free software for the first two years as they start their businesses.

"The BizSpark programme also helps build capacity in growth amongst the Malaysian technopreneurs," he added. -- Bernama

Source : Business Times

 

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 gets RM50 million to develop ICT

Date : November 14,2011

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