The MSC Malaysia Pahang Initiative launched on 4th August, 2009 will adopt a more holistic approach towards information technology (IT) than previous MSC Malaysia rollouts.

MSC Malaysia is Malaysia's initiative to develop an IT industry and an information and knowledge-based economy and society and previous MSC Malaysia rollout's have been centred around the IT industry and on the development of MSC Malaysia Cybercities and Cybercentres across the country for IT companies.

However, the Pahang Initiative goes further to ensure that IT makes a positive impact upon the people of Pahang state on Peninsular Malaysia's serene and scenic east coast.

“MSC Malaysia belongs to all Malaysians and every one of use should be part of this national IT initiative and to gain benefit from it,” said Malaysia's Prime Minister, Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak, whilst  he launched the MSC Malaysia Pahang Initiative at Putra Square in the state capital Kuantan.

During the launch, Pahang State Chief Minister Dato' Sri Adnan Yaakob unveiled the MSC Malaysia Pahang Action Plan to the Prime Minister.

The plan includes the application of IT in socio-economic programmes by the Pahang government, such as programmes to help unemployed youth, education programmes to uplift the rural and urban poor and programmes to generate new sources of income.

In order to create a sustainable ecosystem for IT development, the Pahang Initiative will try to strike the right balance between efforts to build robust domestic demand for IT products and services on the one hand and to develop the matching local supply on the other, amidst competition from foreign alternatives.

“MSC Malaysia Pahang Initiative will underscore efforts to strengthen demand generation from the people, public sector and industry players in other economic sectors, and it is imperative that the needs of different community segments be pro-actively understood and identified, ” said Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) chief executive officer, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali.

In simple English, the MSC Malaysia Pahang Initiative and Jumpstart programmes comprise 15 building blocks, the first two of which provide the foundation upon the other 13 rest.

The foundation includes the rollout of high-speed broadband metropolitan area networks called Jalenas which was launched in Kuantan that same day – see accompanying story http://www.commtechasia.net/comm-mainmenu-28/news/592-jalenas-has-launched-open-broadband-network-in-kuantan.html as well as the MSC Malaysia Pahang Knowledge Workers Development Initiative.

On the supply side are the ICT-I Programmes which ride on this foundation. These include the MSC Malaysia Cybrecentre @ Putra Square, MSC Malaysia Incubator and Technopreneur Development, and the Pahang Technology Resources and Universiti Malaysia Pahang Industry-Academia Programme.

Also launched by the Prime Minister that day, the MSC Malaysia Cybercentre @ Putra Square comprises a block of 34 shoplots within the Putra Square integated commercial, retail and hospitality complex in Kuantan.

The block, known as Blok ICT Hub will have broadband and electrical supply which meet MSC Malaysia criteria and will be a convenient and conducive location of ICT companies.

On the demand generation side are the ICT-E and ICT-S programmes also resting on the foundation.

The ICT-E Programmes are Pahang e-Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (e-Local Authority) which will enable the better management of the state's 11 local authorities and their more efficient delivery of services to the public, Pahang e-Procurement which will enable business-to-government purchase and supply of goods and services over the Internet, and Pahang Geospatial – Forestry.

Geospatial – Forestry uses remote sensing from satellites to comprehensively and effectively monitor the conservation of tropical peat swamp forest and its associated ecosystem, and also to provide advance management tools for the forest inventory to ensure as sustainable use of production forests within Pahang state.

The ICT-S Programmes include the Pahang ICT Awareness Drive, Pahang Workforce Entry and Efficiency Training (PWEET). Teaching and Learning Made Effective (TELME), Parental Awareness training in parenting skills, Bridging Community Through Sports, Creativity Development and Community Development

MDeC is the strategic advisor to the Pahang State Government and it will work closely with Pahang Technology Resources, a Pahang State Government company, which will be a one-stop agency for MSC Malaysia Pahang to implement these IT programmes.
 
At the same time, the Prime Minister launched MDeC's  Integrated Content Development Programme (ICON) in conjunction with the MSC Malaysia Pahang Initiative.

ICON's aim is to create and enhance th a value of local digital content to make it more compelling to end-users online and to help develop the right eco-system for local content developers to operate.

“MDeC consulted the industry players and focus groups to identify their needs and gaps an dthen presented the ICON proposals to the government with the views and concerns of stakeholders taken into account,” said Badlisham.

The MSC Malaysia ICON programmes initiated include ICONedu which encourages online educational content, ICONity for the development of a social community content ecosystem,  ICONapps for sills development for social networkig applications and ICONeX – a digital content and hosting facility.

“ICON initiatives are part of the government's efforts to enhance the socio-economic status of Malaysia through innovation, creativity and knowledge,” said the Prime Minister.

The implementation of ICON initiatives is monitored by the Taskforce headed by the Chief Secretary of the Government, which reports directly to the Cabinet Committee on Broadband chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

“In line with the aspirations of the government to increase national broadband penetration and to generate demand through the enablement of online content, the government has approved an allocation of RM12.86 million to MDeC under the Second Economic Stimulus Package, for the implementation of MSC Malaysia ICON programmes for the private sector,” Prime Minister Najib added.