KUALA LUMPUR - Open source developers and communities throughout Malaysia in the near future need not worry for the lack of support and cohesion between each other, it was announced at a recent breaking of the fast dinner at the Islamic Arts Museum, hosted by the Open Source Developer's Club Malaysia (OSDC.my).

In collaboration with members of Malaysia's various Open Source communities, the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) had earlier announced the inauguration of OSDC.my at the MSC Malaysia Open Source Conference 2009 in Kuala Lumpur from May 31st to June 3rd.

The aim of OSDC.my is to unite local open source developers and their respective communities and to promote and encourage greater use of open source technologies in the country, with the idea that local developers and groups would be able to benefit from interactions with other open source communities throughout the world via a represented association.

Prior to that, the landscape involving Malaysia's open source communities was very fragmented, with various interest groups such as the Python Group and the Google Developer's Club scattered across the country.

According to Rizatuddin Ramli, MDeC's Director of Industry Development, response from the local open source community has been encouraging and meetings between developers have been rather impromptu, not unlike a meeting between friends.

Although the OSDC.my has been recently registered under the Registrar of Societies, it's status has not yet been formalized. However, that has not stopped its membership consisting of 50 to 60 individuals (including a core of 20) from reaching out to different facets of Malaysian society, including through local public universities, as well as spreading open source solutions to the rural areas.

The formation of the OSDC.my initiative is also part of the MDeC's plan to move in the direction of Malaysia's 10th Economic Plan in the next five years, as well as MSC Malaysia's intent to create more ICT SMEs. Thus far, MSC Malaysia has also announced an RM10 million funding for the first year of the OSDC.my's operations.

Among the key performance indicators (KPIs) that MSC Malaysia hopes to achieve through OSDC.my by the year 2015 includes the creation of 10,000 skilled jobs, a yearly regional Open Source conference as well as 40 new businesses specializing in open source solutions.