Information Communication

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

There has been much growth of the information communication technology progress within the Malaysian community in the present times. Truly the Malaysian government has played a rather pivotal role in developing the nation's communications and information capability and usage by introducing several agendas. In fact, several plans were laid out by the government to promote rapid development of communications technology in Malaysia.

The government's first major push into developing the communications and information infrastructure in this country was the creation of the NICT (National IT Council) within the 6th Malaysian Plan (1990-1995). Following this, it brought the formulation of the National IT Agenda (NITA) in the 7th Malaysian Plan as the then government realized that ICT would transform Malaysia from being a P-Economy (production centric) to knowledge based economy (K-Economy).

NITA basically became the catalyst that energized the rapid advancements of the ICT progress of the nation. Following this, the MSC (Multimedia Super Corridor) was thus constructed in order to entice several high-tech companies such as Intel, Microsoft and several big names in Telecommunications like Siemens, Ericsson and Nokia to test high-end ICT inventories and applications.

Multimedia University, which is a premier learning institute within the region, was created by the national ISP (Internet Service Provider) and land line provider, Telekom Malaysia to provide and produce the human capital needed to power the MSC as well as its affiliations.

The National Broadband Plan (NBP) was created in 2002 in following the need for a framework for the planning of the nation's telecommunication facilities for the next decade, as well addressing the decreasing rates of fixed line services within the nation then. The MyICMS 886 (Malaysian Information, Communications and Multimedia Services 886) was introduced in 2005 to enhance and reorganize development integration of three converging technologies - cellular telephony, Internet and broadcasting.

Since the 6th Malaysian Plan (RMKe-6), the government has pushing non-stop for advancement in the ICT sector. As seen in the 8th Malaysian Plan (RMKe-8), the government was focused in providing communication necessities like the Internet and phone lines available to rural areas and the general public. Furthermore, with the introduction of MyKad (electronic Multi Purpose Identification Card), Sekolah Bestari (Smart Schools which utilize computers in daily learning), e-governance (myeg.com.my), as well as e-commerce (lelong.com, mudah.my), the MSC was further put to work under the 8th Malaysian Plan.

And now, the present situation, with the country currently working under the 9th Malaysian Plan, great emphasis is placed on the development on the ICT sector in order to fortify and incline Malaysia's position as a global ICT and multimedia hub. Also, the 9MP was centered in narrowing the digital divide that is happening within the rural communities throughout the nation. To rectify this, the government had made it clear that ICT services and infrastructures to be constructed in remote and rural areas within the country, as well as upgrading the current inventories and making them affordable for the local public. Existing cyber townships like Cyberjaya and Putrajaya will be further developed to accommodate MSC multimedia applications and new cyber cities will be introduced in various parts of the country.

In the future, according to the National ICT Roadmap, Malaysia can be advanced economically and technologically through the next decade and further on, by these three Technology Focus Areas:

a) Wireless Sensory Networks,

b) Predictive Analytics,

c) 3-Dimensional Internet.

The National ICT Roadmap is the current plan, or guidelines for the next ten years starting now, for the further development in the national ICT scene.