M'sia expects 400 MSC status companies by year-end
Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC)--developer and manager of the MSC--has to date, granted MSC status to 347 companies of which 300 are already operational in various locations.
Of that 347, 36 are world-class companies. The target is to have 50 world-class MSC status companies by 2003.
"We're comfortable with the progress to date and very bullish about the sentiments surrounding the issue of MSC status companies. It's now time to build up the community here and draw more companies to relocate their operations to Cyberjaya," said MDC senior vice president (regulation) Narayanan Kanan, during a press briefing today on the latest developments within Cyberjaya since its launch on July 8 last year.
By year-end, MDC expects 194 companies to be operating out of the four cybercities within the MSC: 66 will in Cyberjaya, 81 in Technology Park Malaysia, 30 in Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) and 17 in UPM-MTDC of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
Another 40 to 50 MSC companies are expected to distribute themselves amongst these four cybercities next year, with 35 of these possibly operating out of Cyberjaya, Narayanan said.
MSC status companies are encouraged to relocate to Cyberjaya in order for them to gain the most benefit in terms of state-of-the-art infrastructural services, telecommunications services and competitive rates to carry out their operations.
"We've gone to great lengths to put in place (these) world-class services at very competitive rates which are not available elsewhere in the country," Narayanan said, referring to what companies such as Setia Haruman, Telekom Malaysia, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and MDC have to date established within Cyberjaya.
The four are in charge of Cyberjaya city development, telecommunications infrastructure and services, power infrastructure and services as well as Cyberjaya regional access and public transportation, respectively.
Fourth IAP meeting
On another note, the fourth International Advisory Panel (IAP) meeting which is scheduled for September 7 and 8, will as of now be attended by 26 individuals--12 members and 14 representatives.
The confirmed IAP members are The Acer Group chairman and CEO Dr. Stan Shih, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) senior advisor (International Communications Studies) Ambassador Diana Lady Dougan, Compaq Computer Corporation president and CEO Michael D. Capellas, Cutler & Company managing director Dr. Terrence Austin Cutler, Fujitsu Ltd chairman Mr. Tadashi Sekizawa, Lucent Technologies vice chairman Ben Verwaayen, Madge Networks Ltd chairman Robert Madge, NEC Corporation senior member of the board Dr. Tadahiro Sekimoto, Ohmae & Associates managing director Dr. Kenichi Ohmae, Peking University Institute of Computer Science & Technology director Prof Wang Xuan, Silicon Graphics Inc chairman and CEO Bob Bishop and Stanford Graduate School of Business Herbert Hoover Professor of Public and Private Management Emeritus Prof. William F. Miller.
Last year's IAP meeting was held in July in conjunction with the official opening of Cyberjaya, the Multimedia Super Corridor's (MSC's) intelligent city.
This year's IAP meeting will coincide with the launch of E-Village--the country's ambitious foray into the entertainment industry with the establishment of a state-of-the-art virtual studio and sound stage.
According to MDC executive chairman Othman Yeop Abdullah, several issues have been lined up for discussion at the fourth IAP meeting including market trends in information and communications (ICT) and the impact on MSC companies, the battle for standards in the wireless technology space, implications of skill and human resource requirements on institutions of higher learning, impact of large mergers on the Malaysian market, and the volatility of the dotcom market and its impact on MSC companies.
There will also be an exposition showcasing the products and services achieved within the MSC.