Contents - Connect-World

National Development
Pervasive connectivityTowards building a knowledge
society in Malaysia
by The Honourable Dato’ Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, Malaysia
Malaysia needs to build its ICT infrastructure and increase the effective use of information
technology. The government is guiding the countrys transition from a low technology,
labour-intensive economy to a high value-added economy. It is extending access to
all segments of society, from school children to senior citizens, urban and rural residents,
to businessmen and housewives. To create a critical mass of users and applications,
Malaysia has provided access in government departments, schools, universities, research
institutions, hospitals and clinics, libraries and community centres.
The Honourable Dato Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik, is the Minister of Energy, Water and Communications of
Malaysia. He is the President of the Peoples Movement Party (Gerakan), within the National Front governing
party of Malaysia. Honourable Dato Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik was appointed a Senator in 1972
and a Minister with Special Functions in the Malaysian Cabinet. Dr Lim Keng Yaik later served in the
State Government of Perak, but returned to the Federal Cabinet as Minister of Primary Industries. Dr
Lim Keng Yaik has participated in international conferences including the GATT Negotiations, Rio Earth
Summit, Cairns Group Meeting and many others. Honourable Dato Dr Lim Keng Yaik served as the
Chairman of the Associations of Tin Producing Countries and Vice-President of the World WUSHU
Federation, among others. Dr Lim Keng Yaik led the Malaysian delegation in the negotiations for the
Forest Principles at the Rio Earth Summit and has actively participated in international Forests and
Timber conferences.
Honourable Dato Dr Lim Keng Yaik graduated with a degree in Medicine and Surgery from Queens
University, Belfast, Ireland and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law by Queens University of
Belfast, Ireland.
Harnessing ICT for
Malaysias future
In an era that fosters a knowledgebased
economy, the role of information
and communications technology
(ICT) is increasingly pervasive. This is
particularly so in the Malaysian context
with the government determined
to hasten the development of a vibrant
and dynamic information and knowledge-based
economy and society
through the use of ICT.
The Multimedia Super Corridor
(MSC) launched in 1996, was conceived
to provide the impetus for the
Malaysian information economy and
remains a driving force towards pervasive
connectivity today.
Since its launch, the MSC has generated
21, 200 knowledge worker jobs and
sales of RM5.8 billion (US$1.5 billion)
in 2003 or 1.5 per cent contribution to
GDP and 0.2 per cent of the labour
force. As a starter, the MSC has done
well, considering that it was set up to
be a test bed for new applications and
to attract foreign investment in high
technology. However, more remains
to be done. The second phase rollout
of the MSC will feature MSC status
incubation in the Bayan Lepas Free
Industrial Zone in Pulau Pinang and
the Kulim High-Technology Park in
Kedah. This phase aims to add
100,000 high value-added jobs to the
MSC.
MSC development should not stop
here. Industrial incubation has to
accelerate nationwide to spur take-up
of ICT by all Malaysians and businesses
to reap the benefits of productivity
gains, competitive business advantage,
opportunity for innovation and
growth towards a knowledge economy.
Collaborative efforts to
leapfrog national development
The transition from a low technology
and labour-intensive economy to a
high value-added economy would produce
great economic rewards.
Nevertheless, achieving a knowledge
economy requires national effort, in
which, all stakeholders—the government
and private sector, consumers
and businesses—need to address the
pressing issues of pervasive connectivity.
The government and private sector
need to provide consumers and businesses
alike with the necessary communications
services at acceptable
quality and price. The public and consumers
need to embrace ICT, use it to
their advantage and make it part of the
very fabric of our society.
Spearheading connectivity
The challenge of getting everyone in
Malaysia connected today is to provide
users with affordable access. The
ability of broadband to narrow the
digital divide need not be debated,
given the experience of users throughout
the world. Widespread use of
broadband for high speed Internet is
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