KUALA LUMPUR, 4 DECEMBER 2008 – To boost the use of open-source software, the Malaysian government intends to grow 15 globally open source corporations within two years.
Government agency Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) chief executive officer Dato’ Badlisham Ghazali said, “As caretaker of the MSC Malaysia initiative, MDeC will collaborate with SUN Microsystems under the MSC Malaysia SUN SPA Programme to strategically strengthen and address growth in ICT small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in their individual business objectives.”
Badlisham said that in an uncertain global economy, the adoption of OSS can assist ICT SMEs to be cost-effective while continuing to be innovative. “The first part of the collaboration is focused on the ISV community to give them quick access to the resources needed to build solutions based on SUN technologies. This move was in line with MSC Malaysia’s strategic intent to create more ICT SMEs that can lead regionally and go global.”
Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) is a government-owned corporation, established to facilitate the development and promotion of MSC Malaysia, the premier Malaysian ICT initiative. MDeC is tasked to advise the Malaysian Government on ICT legislation and policies, develop MSC Malaysia as a key growth driver of the economy and set breakthrough standards for ICT and multimedia operations. MDeC also promotes MSC Malaysia locally and globally, as well as supports companies which are located within the MSC Malaysia designated areas.
Boosting growth in tougher times
Speaking at the MSC Malaysia Open Source Economy Seminar, Badlisham added, “MSC Malaysia has recorded revenues of about RM13 (US$3.57) billion as at early 2007, with export totaling RM4.03 (US$1.11) billion,” said Dato’ Badlisham. “We have grown over the years from successfully developing world class ICT infrastructure and infostructure to enable knowledge based products and services to take advantage of and flourish.”
“A good 2.42 per cent of those are in open source segment and growing, with the recorded revenue of RM134 (US$37) million realised between 2006 and 2007, largely from ‘productised service’,” said Badlisham. “Core developers in this segment are still relatively small, only 1.36 per cent with room to grow at five to seven per cent annually. This is where MSC Malaysia and Sun can play a significant role in boosting their growth”.
Open Source the ideal model
“Open source is the ideal development and business model for today’s massively connected Participation Age economy,” said Sun Microsystems president, Asia South, Gan Boon San. “The open source model offers liberties to every user and developer that encourages genuinely collaborative innovation. Sun has an agenda to develop local communities via our open and collaborative efforts, and this partnership with MDeC provides an excellent platform for local companies to leverage on our global network for market presence.”
“Open source is also the most cost effective alternative to position organisations for growth and offer opportunities in the midst of the dampening economic climate,” said Gan. “Many companies across India, China, Eastern Europe, South and Central America are already leveraging open source to create wealth, and Malaysia is no different. Sun is aligning closely with the government’s direction of accelerating open source adoption in the public sector, and to create more cost-effective and reliable solutions for the community at large.”
