KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia (Pikom) is targeting RM80bil in revenue annually in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry by 2015.
“The target of transforming the ICT industry to an RM80bil industry is one of the goals under Pikom’s five-year plan, which started from this year,” said its chairman Wei Chuan Beng.
The plan has been revised from the previous five-year plan, which started from 2008, he said at a press conference here yesterday.
Previously, the plan targeted to grow the ICT industry from an RM40bil industry to RM80bil by the end of 2012, increasing contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to 10% from 7%.
Wei said the ICT industry recorded a 7% sales growth in 2008 but affected by the economic downturn, it could achieve only a 5% sales growth with RM45bil revenue last year.
“So that is the reason why we revised the previous five-year plan and worked out a new one,” he said.
Pikom is eyeing an 8% growth in the ICT industry this year, to be followed by a 10% growth annually between 2010 and 2013, 11% for 2014 and 12% for 2015.
This year, the association is also focusing on organising a series of talks and seminars, including the Business Success with ICT series which aims to create awareness on the implementation of ICT in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Being the backbone of the country’s economy, somehow the SMEs are not able to reach out to the world. Thus, through these seminars, the SMEs will have a clear idea on the technology and global trends,” Wei said.
He said the programme is targeting a total of 3,000 participants from various companies at 15 seminars throughout the country. — Bernama
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
NEWS: Weighing the pros and cons of social media
INTERESTING DISCUSSION: (l-r) Khairy, Kam, Pua, Malone and Asohan at the Government in the age of social media forum at Menara Star.
PETALING JAYA: Social media use in government in this country is growing but has yet to reach the level it has in the United States, said Tony Pua, Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara.
“Social media here isn’t there yet (as an accurate tool for gauging mass public opinion). However, this will change over time, maybe three to five years down the road,” he said.
Member of Parliament for Rembau and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said social media gives the Government the opportunity now to start interacting with a portion of its citizens, and that the group is growing in numbers.
“I am encouraging Umno Youth members to be active on Twitter and Facebook,” he said. “Also, social media helps humanise politicians in the eyes of the public.”
Kam Raslan, writer and director, hoped social media would not be overhyped. It’s a tool, not a magic bullet, he said.
It has been bandied about that a million Malaysians are on Twitter, the microblogging site, and about four million are on Facebook. Many, however, believe the Twitter number is much lower, but an accurate count hasn’t been done yet.
Khairy, Pua and Kam were participating in a panel discussion on Government 2.0 — Government in the age of social media, at the Menara Star here yesterday evening.
The event was organised by the Social Media Club of Kuala Lumpur (SMCKL).
Stateside
Also on the panel was US Embassy press attache Tina Malone. She began the discussion by sharing how the US Government has embraced social media, an initiative spearheaded by the Obama administration.
She said one of the most successful examples of “Government 2.0” in the United States is GovLoop.com. This is an online platform created by and for that country’s government employees, and brings together the more than 16,500 members of its public service community.
The panel then explored the potential of social media to help improve citizen-government ties in this country, and the challenges.
The session was moderated by The Star digital news editor A. Asohan while the event was hosted by Packet One Sdn Bhd, a WiMAX wireless broadband vendor.
Chia Kok Peng, senior manager of content and services at ruumzNation Sdn Bhd — which operates the ruumz.com social networking site — found the two-hour session thought provoking.
He said he enjoyed hearing the different opinions and perspectives from such a varied group of speakers and attendees.
Another attendee was Alan Shan, director of special projects for Arcis Communications Sdn Bhd, who said he found the intellectual discussion stimulating.
We did it
At the event, SMCKL chalked up the first local Swarm Badge on the FourSquare location-based social networking application.
It got the badge when more than 50 attendees “checked in” to FourSquare collectively at the Menara Star, where they had gathered for the discussion.
They checked in by logging in at the FourSquare website on their mobile phones as they arrived.
Carolyn Chan, an organiser of the event, said getting the Swarm Badge showed off the spirit of the social media community.
SMCKL organises monthly conversations that explore the technology issues facing society.
Some 200 people attended yesterday’s event, including journalists, publishers and communications professionals. Many are ardent Twitter and Facebook users.
PETALING JAYA: Social media use in government in this country is growing but has yet to reach the level it has in the United States, said Tony Pua, Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara.
“Social media here isn’t there yet (as an accurate tool for gauging mass public opinion). However, this will change over time, maybe three to five years down the road,” he said.
Member of Parliament for Rembau and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said social media gives the Government the opportunity now to start interacting with a portion of its citizens, and that the group is growing in numbers.
“I am encouraging Umno Youth members to be active on Twitter and Facebook,” he said. “Also, social media helps humanise politicians in the eyes of the public.”
Kam Raslan, writer and director, hoped social media would not be overhyped. It’s a tool, not a magic bullet, he said.
It has been bandied about that a million Malaysians are on Twitter, the microblogging site, and about four million are on Facebook. Many, however, believe the Twitter number is much lower, but an accurate count hasn’t been done yet.
Khairy, Pua and Kam were participating in a panel discussion on Government 2.0 — Government in the age of social media, at the Menara Star here yesterday evening.
The event was organised by the Social Media Club of Kuala Lumpur (SMCKL).
Stateside
Also on the panel was US Embassy press attache Tina Malone. She began the discussion by sharing how the US Government has embraced social media, an initiative spearheaded by the Obama administration.
She said one of the most successful examples of “Government 2.0” in the United States is GovLoop.com. This is an online platform created by and for that country’s government employees, and brings together the more than 16,500 members of its public service community.
The panel then explored the potential of social media to help improve citizen-government ties in this country, and the challenges.
The session was moderated by The Star digital news editor A. Asohan while the event was hosted by Packet One Sdn Bhd, a WiMAX wireless broadband vendor.
Chia Kok Peng, senior manager of content and services at ruumzNation Sdn Bhd — which operates the ruumz.com social networking site — found the two-hour session thought provoking.
He said he enjoyed hearing the different opinions and perspectives from such a varied group of speakers and attendees.
Another attendee was Alan Shan, director of special projects for Arcis Communications Sdn Bhd, who said he found the intellectual discussion stimulating.
We did it
At the event, SMCKL chalked up the first local Swarm Badge on the FourSquare location-based social networking application.
It got the badge when more than 50 attendees “checked in” to FourSquare collectively at the Menara Star, where they had gathered for the discussion.
They checked in by logging in at the FourSquare website on their mobile phones as they arrived.
Carolyn Chan, an organiser of the event, said getting the Swarm Badge showed off the spirit of the social media community.
SMCKL organises monthly conversations that explore the technology issues facing society.
Some 200 people attended yesterday’s event, including journalists, publishers and communications professionals. Many are ardent Twitter and Facebook users.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
NEWS: US law enforcement agencies stake out social networks
LONG ARM OF THE LAW: Assistant US Attorney Michael Scoville displaying part of the Facebook page of a fugitive in Seattle. US law enforcement agents are following the rest of the Internet world into social-networking services, going undercover with false online profiles to communicate with suspects and gather private information, according to an internal Justice Department document. — AP
WASHINGTON: US law enforcement authorities have signed up for Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reveal some of the ways the FBI and tax agents are allowed to use social networks for investigative purposes.
The documents were posted this week on the website of the EFF after being obtained through a lawsuit filed under the Freedom of Information Act by the San Francisco-based electronic rights group and the Samuelson Clinic of the University of California, Berkeley.
The key documents are from a 2009 training course for IRS employees and an August 2009 Justice Department presentation on “Obtaining and Using Evidence from Social Networking Sites.”
The IRS documents clearly state that employees are not allowed to use false identities to scour social networking accounts while conducting a probe into a taxpayer.
The Justice Department presentation on the other hand includes a slide on “undercover operations” and asks “Why go undercover on Facebook, MySpace etc?”
Among the reasons cited may be to “communicate with suspects/targets,” to “gain access to non-public info” or to “map social relationships/networks,” it says.
The presentation also asks “if agents violate terms of service, is that ‘otherwise illegal activity.’”
The terms of use of most social networks bar the use of fake identities or impersonation.
The Justice Department document lists a number of ways in which evidence from social networking sites can be useful including to “reveal personal communications” or “establish motives and personal relationships.”
Social networks can also be used to “provide location information,” to “prove and disprove alibis” or to “establish crime or criminal enterprise.”
The Justice Department said Facebook is “often cooperative with emergency requests” while Twitter has a “stated policy of producing data only in response to legal process.”
MySpace “requires a search warrant for private messages/bulletins less than 181 days old,” the Justice Department said, while LinkedIn’s “use for criminal communications appears limited.”
Andrew Noyes, a Facebook spokesman, outlined the company’s policies in an e-mail to AFP.
“Like other companies holding personal records — from phone records to medical history — Facebook works with law enforcement to the extent required by law and where appropriate to ensure the safety of Facebook users,” he said.
“Our goal is to respect the balance between law enforcement’s need for information and the privacy rights of our users, and as a responsible company we adhere to the letter of the law,” Noyes said.
“We scrutinise every single law enforcement request; require a detailed description of why the request is being made; and if it is deemed appropriate, share only the minimum amount of information,” he said.
Regarding emergency requests, Noyes said “in rare instances our policies and the law allow for emergency sharing.
“One hypothetical is the case of a kidnapped child where every minute counts. In instances like this, where we’ve verified an emergency, we feel a responsibility to quickly share information that could save someone’s life.” — AFP/Relaxnews
WASHINGTON: US law enforcement authorities have signed up for Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) reveal some of the ways the FBI and tax agents are allowed to use social networks for investigative purposes.
The documents were posted this week on the website of the EFF after being obtained through a lawsuit filed under the Freedom of Information Act by the San Francisco-based electronic rights group and the Samuelson Clinic of the University of California, Berkeley.
The key documents are from a 2009 training course for IRS employees and an August 2009 Justice Department presentation on “Obtaining and Using Evidence from Social Networking Sites.”
The IRS documents clearly state that employees are not allowed to use false identities to scour social networking accounts while conducting a probe into a taxpayer.
The Justice Department presentation on the other hand includes a slide on “undercover operations” and asks “Why go undercover on Facebook, MySpace etc?”
Among the reasons cited may be to “communicate with suspects/targets,” to “gain access to non-public info” or to “map social relationships/networks,” it says.
The presentation also asks “if agents violate terms of service, is that ‘otherwise illegal activity.’”
The terms of use of most social networks bar the use of fake identities or impersonation.
The Justice Department document lists a number of ways in which evidence from social networking sites can be useful including to “reveal personal communications” or “establish motives and personal relationships.”
Social networks can also be used to “provide location information,” to “prove and disprove alibis” or to “establish crime or criminal enterprise.”
The Justice Department said Facebook is “often cooperative with emergency requests” while Twitter has a “stated policy of producing data only in response to legal process.”
MySpace “requires a search warrant for private messages/bulletins less than 181 days old,” the Justice Department said, while LinkedIn’s “use for criminal communications appears limited.”
Andrew Noyes, a Facebook spokesman, outlined the company’s policies in an e-mail to AFP.
“Like other companies holding personal records — from phone records to medical history — Facebook works with law enforcement to the extent required by law and where appropriate to ensure the safety of Facebook users,” he said.
“Our goal is to respect the balance between law enforcement’s need for information and the privacy rights of our users, and as a responsible company we adhere to the letter of the law,” Noyes said.
“We scrutinise every single law enforcement request; require a detailed description of why the request is being made; and if it is deemed appropriate, share only the minimum amount of information,” he said.
Regarding emergency requests, Noyes said “in rare instances our policies and the law allow for emergency sharing.
“One hypothetical is the case of a kidnapped child where every minute counts. In instances like this, where we’ve verified an emergency, we feel a responsibility to quickly share information that could save someone’s life.” — AFP/Relaxnews
NEWS: Dotcom celebrates 25th birthday
Relaxnews
WASHINGTON: Recognise Symbolics.com? Probably not.
But 25 years ago this week the Massachusetts computer maker played a bit role in history — it was the first company to register a .com address on what would eventually become known as the World Wide Web.
Only five companies would join Symbolics.com in 1985 in registering their dotcom names with DARPA, the Pentagon technology research agency which was behind the precursor to the Internet.
Ten years later there were 120,000 dotcoms and “today we have close to 85 million dotcom names registered,” said Mark McLaughlin president and chief executive of VeriSign, the company which runs the dotcom infrastructure.
“In some ways (dotcom’s) become somewhat of a proxy for the Internet,” McLaughlin told a gathering of Internet policymakers and leaders here to celebrate the 25th birthday of dotcom.
“Dotcom’s becomes part of our lexicon, our way of life, how we communicate, how we interact with each other, how we do business online,” McLaughlin said.
“It’s a platform for business, entertainment, sports, finance, culture and how we connect with people.”
Robert Atkinson, president of the Washington-based Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, said none of this was envisioned when Symbolics.com and the others were registered as the first dotcoms.
“DARPA let these companies come on what was essentially a government research network,” Atkinson said. “When they made that decision they didn’t really know what they were doing.
“What they actually ended up doing was probably creating one of the greatest technological revolutions of all time,” he said.
Reed Hundt, a former chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission, said the dotcom domain has become a “common medium for humanity.”
“In earlier generations the printing press provided the common medium, print on paper,” he said. “To a very large degree the telephone network was a common medium.
“We haven’t yet wrapped the whole world in the common language of dotcom-ism,” he said. “It’s an important thing to do.”
Dot dollars
Participants in the 25 Years of .Com Policy Impact Forum also highlighted the economic contributions of dotcoms.
“Commerce and communications led (the Internet) to explode and dotcom has been the home for most of that,” said Rod Beckstrom, chief executive of ICANN, the private corporation which administers the Domain Name System that forms the technical backbone of the Web.
“The value that all those domains add to business and commerce is absolutely massive,” Beckstrom said.
According to a new ITIF study, the dotcom domain has become the platform for US$400bil (RM1.36tril) in annual economic activity, a number that is expected to rise to US$950bil (RM3.2 tril) by 2020.
Of the world’s nearly 85 million dotcoms, 11.9 million are e-commerce and online business websites, 4.3 million are entertainment-related sites and 1.8 million are sports-related sites, according to VeriSign.
“The value of these dotcom names is incredible,” Beckstrom said. “The economic value to businesses that often pay just US$10 (RM34) a year for their domain name may be millions of dollars.
“Google probably paid US$10 (RM34) for Google.com when they first got it,” he said. “What would they pay to replace it today?”
According to a survey conducted for VeriSign, 81% of Americans visit five or more dotcom websites a day while two-thirds visit between five and 25 dotcom websites a day.
One in five reported finding a job on a dotcom site while 6% said they met their spouse or significant through a dotcom website.
Dotcom may be the best known but it is just one of 270 other so-called Top Level Domain Names including .net, .org, .edu, .mil, .gov and the domains for individual countries such as .cn for China, .de for Germany or .ru for Russia. — AFP
WASHINGTON: Recognise Symbolics.com? Probably not.
But 25 years ago this week the Massachusetts computer maker played a bit role in history — it was the first company to register a .com address on what would eventually become known as the World Wide Web.
Only five companies would join Symbolics.com in 1985 in registering their dotcom names with DARPA, the Pentagon technology research agency which was behind the precursor to the Internet.
Ten years later there were 120,000 dotcoms and “today we have close to 85 million dotcom names registered,” said Mark McLaughlin president and chief executive of VeriSign, the company which runs the dotcom infrastructure.
“In some ways (dotcom’s) become somewhat of a proxy for the Internet,” McLaughlin told a gathering of Internet policymakers and leaders here to celebrate the 25th birthday of dotcom.
“Dotcom’s becomes part of our lexicon, our way of life, how we communicate, how we interact with each other, how we do business online,” McLaughlin said.
“It’s a platform for business, entertainment, sports, finance, culture and how we connect with people.”
Robert Atkinson, president of the Washington-based Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, said none of this was envisioned when Symbolics.com and the others were registered as the first dotcoms.
“DARPA let these companies come on what was essentially a government research network,” Atkinson said. “When they made that decision they didn’t really know what they were doing.
“What they actually ended up doing was probably creating one of the greatest technological revolutions of all time,” he said.
Reed Hundt, a former chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission, said the dotcom domain has become a “common medium for humanity.”
“In earlier generations the printing press provided the common medium, print on paper,” he said. “To a very large degree the telephone network was a common medium.
“We haven’t yet wrapped the whole world in the common language of dotcom-ism,” he said. “It’s an important thing to do.”
Dot dollars
Participants in the 25 Years of .Com Policy Impact Forum also highlighted the economic contributions of dotcoms.
“Commerce and communications led (the Internet) to explode and dotcom has been the home for most of that,” said Rod Beckstrom, chief executive of ICANN, the private corporation which administers the Domain Name System that forms the technical backbone of the Web.
“The value that all those domains add to business and commerce is absolutely massive,” Beckstrom said.
According to a new ITIF study, the dotcom domain has become the platform for US$400bil (RM1.36tril) in annual economic activity, a number that is expected to rise to US$950bil (RM3.2 tril) by 2020.
Of the world’s nearly 85 million dotcoms, 11.9 million are e-commerce and online business websites, 4.3 million are entertainment-related sites and 1.8 million are sports-related sites, according to VeriSign.
“The value of these dotcom names is incredible,” Beckstrom said. “The economic value to businesses that often pay just US$10 (RM34) a year for their domain name may be millions of dollars.
“Google probably paid US$10 (RM34) for Google.com when they first got it,” he said. “What would they pay to replace it today?”
According to a survey conducted for VeriSign, 81% of Americans visit five or more dotcom websites a day while two-thirds visit between five and 25 dotcom websites a day.
One in five reported finding a job on a dotcom site while 6% said they met their spouse or significant through a dotcom website.
Dotcom may be the best known but it is just one of 270 other so-called Top Level Domain Names including .net, .org, .edu, .mil, .gov and the domains for individual countries such as .cn for China, .de for Germany or .ru for Russia. — AFP
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
NEWS: Women entrepreneurs receive e-commerce training
KUALA LUMPUR: A hundred female entrepreneurs from Selangor have been trained to build an online business through the pilot-initiative of 1nita, which began at the end of last year.
These entrepreneurs now sell over 200 types of products online, including handicraft, clothes and food.
The 1nita initiative was launched by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) and .my Domain Registry, which is sole administrator for the .my domain in Malaysia.
The next phase of the initiative will see the programme extended to Malacca, Sabah, Sarawak and Kedah over the course of the year.
Shariya Zulkifli, the director of .my Domain Registry said that the plan is to train 500 women entrepreneurs in e-commerce by the end of the year.
She explained that the first objective of 1nita is to provide the skills to build an online business through training and workshops.
“The training is free and will be conducted on weekends over the course of a month. A free .my URL will also be given,” she said.
Upon completion of the training and workshops, participants will be able to develop a website, upload and update content as well as transact online.
“The second function is to build a support community of women entrepreneurs that will go on to expand the 1nita initiative through networking, training and mutual assistance,” she said.
The third purpose of 1nita is to establish a women’s e-marketplace.
Women entrepreneurs are an emerging force and are key players in the country’s economic development and growth.
According to the 2005 Census of Establishments and Enterprises, women-owned enterprises totalled 82,911, which accounts for 16% of all SMEs in Malaysia.
Those interested to apply for the programme, can go to www.1nita.my. Applicants who are PC-savvy and know how to surf the Internet will be favoured, according to a spokesman from .my Domain Registry.
Besides Mosti and .my Domain Registry, the other contributing partners of the 1nita initiative include MSC Malaysia custodian Multimedia Development Corporation, the National Council of Women’s Organisations, the e-community studies department of the National University of Malaysia and Radical Box Sdn Bhd, which provides the technical platform for website development.
These entrepreneurs now sell over 200 types of products online, including handicraft, clothes and food.
The 1nita initiative was launched by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) and .my Domain Registry, which is sole administrator for the .my domain in Malaysia.
The next phase of the initiative will see the programme extended to Malacca, Sabah, Sarawak and Kedah over the course of the year.
Shariya Zulkifli, the director of .my Domain Registry said that the plan is to train 500 women entrepreneurs in e-commerce by the end of the year.
She explained that the first objective of 1nita is to provide the skills to build an online business through training and workshops.
“The training is free and will be conducted on weekends over the course of a month. A free .my URL will also be given,” she said.
Upon completion of the training and workshops, participants will be able to develop a website, upload and update content as well as transact online.
“The second function is to build a support community of women entrepreneurs that will go on to expand the 1nita initiative through networking, training and mutual assistance,” she said.
The third purpose of 1nita is to establish a women’s e-marketplace.
Women entrepreneurs are an emerging force and are key players in the country’s economic development and growth.
According to the 2005 Census of Establishments and Enterprises, women-owned enterprises totalled 82,911, which accounts for 16% of all SMEs in Malaysia.
Those interested to apply for the programme, can go to www.1nita.my. Applicants who are PC-savvy and know how to surf the Internet will be favoured, according to a spokesman from .my Domain Registry.
Besides Mosti and .my Domain Registry, the other contributing partners of the 1nita initiative include MSC Malaysia custodian Multimedia Development Corporation, the National Council of Women’s Organisations, the e-community studies department of the National University of Malaysia and Radical Box Sdn Bhd, which provides the technical platform for website development.
NEWS: More support for knowledge workers from MDeC
PETALING JAYA: The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC), which is the custodian of the MSC-Malaysia initiative, said it generated close to 9,000 knowledge workers for the IT industry last year but its not about to rest on its laurels.
MDeC chief executive officer Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said the talent demand for highly skilled knowledge workers is growing in tandem with the increasing number of MSC-status companies.
“While we managed to generate 9,000 knowledge workers for the market, we forsee that an additional 12% is needed to fill positions in the market by 2012,” Badlisham said.
He was speaking at an awards ceremony to recognise graduates and institutions that have participated in MDeC’s Knowledge Worker Development Initiatives (KDI).
KDI is a list of programmes that provide ICT professionals, graduates, undergraduates and MSC-status companies with the necessary support to meet the demands of the ICT industry.
Finishing schools
Badlisham said MDeC is intensifying the KDI programme by conducting finishing school lessons which equip jobseekers with skills to work in the IT industry.
He said that MDeC plans to have its own finishing schools and hopes that it will be part of the 10th Malaysia Plan which will be tabled next year.
“The setting up of these schools will require help from the industry and institutes of higher learning but it will be subject to the 10th Malaysia plan,” he said.
Presently MDeC adopts foreign finishing school models such as that of Indian outsourcing company, Infosys Technologies, which provides jobseekers with the skills required to work in the outsourcing and shared services sector.
In addition to setting up finishing schools, MDeC also plans to set up master classes to fill the gaps in the creative content development field.
“These master classes are more than just basic technical classes and we plan to work with our foreign partners to help content developers produce masterpieces,” he said.
MDeC’s plans have already received some early support from the Government.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the Government will continue to support plans to train or retrain jobseekers to fill in opportunities in the industry.
“Such initiatives are crucial to the development of the local ICT industry. Human capital will be strong determinant in transforming Malaysia into a high income nation and enhancing its global competitiveness,” Ongkili said at the same awards event.
MDeC chief executive officer Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said the talent demand for highly skilled knowledge workers is growing in tandem with the increasing number of MSC-status companies.
“While we managed to generate 9,000 knowledge workers for the market, we forsee that an additional 12% is needed to fill positions in the market by 2012,” Badlisham said.
He was speaking at an awards ceremony to recognise graduates and institutions that have participated in MDeC’s Knowledge Worker Development Initiatives (KDI).
KDI is a list of programmes that provide ICT professionals, graduates, undergraduates and MSC-status companies with the necessary support to meet the demands of the ICT industry.
Finishing schools
Badlisham said MDeC is intensifying the KDI programme by conducting finishing school lessons which equip jobseekers with skills to work in the IT industry.
He said that MDeC plans to have its own finishing schools and hopes that it will be part of the 10th Malaysia Plan which will be tabled next year.
“The setting up of these schools will require help from the industry and institutes of higher learning but it will be subject to the 10th Malaysia plan,” he said.
Presently MDeC adopts foreign finishing school models such as that of Indian outsourcing company, Infosys Technologies, which provides jobseekers with the skills required to work in the outsourcing and shared services sector.
In addition to setting up finishing schools, MDeC also plans to set up master classes to fill the gaps in the creative content development field.
“These master classes are more than just basic technical classes and we plan to work with our foreign partners to help content developers produce masterpieces,” he said.
MDeC’s plans have already received some early support from the Government.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the Government will continue to support plans to train or retrain jobseekers to fill in opportunities in the industry.
“Such initiatives are crucial to the development of the local ICT industry. Human capital will be strong determinant in transforming Malaysia into a high income nation and enhancing its global competitiveness,” Ongkili said at the same awards event.
NEWS: Youths to get TechEureka moment
MSC Malaysia and The Star Online have embarked on a campaign to help Malaysian youths maximise their potential with the help of ICT (information and communications technology).
The campaign — called TechEureka — aims to act as a platform where youths can learn more about the opportunities in the ICT industry and take advantage of them by participating in the various MSC Malaysia programmes.
TechEureka, a three-month campaign, is divided into five themes — Get Skilled, Get Hired, Get Funded, Get Connected and Get Creative.
The activities based on these themes will serve to explain to the youths how they can benefit from the MSC Malaysia programmes.
The Multimedia Development Corp (MDeC), which is caretaker of the MSC Malaysia initiative, has announced that TechEureka will spur the youths to enrol in ICT-related courses, work in ICT-related industries, and better yet, start ICT-based or ICT-enabled businesses.
Its programmes will teach the youths how to get funding for their business forays, as well as how to develop human capital in their companies.
MDeC staff will be on hand to explain the MSC Malaysia programmes at the TechEureka Open Day, scheduled for March 13 and 14 at Studio V, in the 1Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya.
The campaign includes talks and workshops, and several MSC Malaysia-status companies will share their experiences (see sidebar — Journeying through hell to reach Garden).
Opportunities exist for youths looking to work in the ICT industry and they should approach MDeC representatives during the campaign activities for information on how to apply for the jobs during the TechEureka! Career Day in April.
School-leavers and undergraduates are encouraged to attend.
For more information on the campaign, go to techeureka.my/got_ideas. Or go to the TechEureka! Facebook page, www.facebook.com/msctecheureka, or follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/msctecheureka.
The campaign — called TechEureka — aims to act as a platform where youths can learn more about the opportunities in the ICT industry and take advantage of them by participating in the various MSC Malaysia programmes.
TechEureka, a three-month campaign, is divided into five themes — Get Skilled, Get Hired, Get Funded, Get Connected and Get Creative.
The activities based on these themes will serve to explain to the youths how they can benefit from the MSC Malaysia programmes.
The Multimedia Development Corp (MDeC), which is caretaker of the MSC Malaysia initiative, has announced that TechEureka will spur the youths to enrol in ICT-related courses, work in ICT-related industries, and better yet, start ICT-based or ICT-enabled businesses.
Its programmes will teach the youths how to get funding for their business forays, as well as how to develop human capital in their companies.
MDeC staff will be on hand to explain the MSC Malaysia programmes at the TechEureka Open Day, scheduled for March 13 and 14 at Studio V, in the 1Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya.
The campaign includes talks and workshops, and several MSC Malaysia-status companies will share their experiences (see sidebar — Journeying through hell to reach Garden).
Opportunities exist for youths looking to work in the ICT industry and they should approach MDeC representatives during the campaign activities for information on how to apply for the jobs during the TechEureka! Career Day in April.
School-leavers and undergraduates are encouraged to attend.
For more information on the campaign, go to techeureka.my/got_ideas. Or go to the TechEureka! Facebook page, www.facebook.com/msctecheureka, or follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/msctecheureka.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
NEWS: Promoting reading
N keeping with its commitment to promote an interest for reading, the Chemical Company of Malaysia Bhd (CCM) has donated RM30,000 worth of referral books on science, technology and health to 10 rural primary schools in Perak.
Group managing director Datuk Dr Mohd Hashim Tajudin said that it was vital for children to acquire a passion for reading from a young age, as it offered many advantages that aided their intellectual growth.
“While reading, you tend to subconsciously pitcture a vivid image in your mind about the story or topic.
“This exercises and challenges the mind to help keep build a capacity for enquiry and knowledge. In the process, one becomes more knowledgeable and confident,” he said.
“Without a doubt, a well-read student is more imaginative and has the ability and confidence to take an ingenious approach to connect the dots compared to others who might not be able to relate to a certain situation.
Mohd Hashim (seated, third from left) posing for a group photo with Mohd Radzi (seated, second from left) and school representatives.
“In spite of the introduction and availability of computers and internet, reading will continue to be a relevant and proven avenue to knowledge accumulation. Students need to know that the benefits of reading will definitely last a lifetime,” he added.
State education director Mohd Radzi Abd Jabar, who was present at the ceremony, commended the company for their initiative in promoting learning and confidence building amongst rural school children in the state through reading.
“I commend and thank CCM for its continuing efforts as it provides a chance for the students to discover and explore the wonders of reading, especially the latest developments in science, technology and health,” he said.
The donation is a corner stone of CCM’s corporate responsibility initiative to provide rural school children with equal opportunities as their urban peers to experience the joy of reading the latest books on science, health and technology.
Since the inception of the programme in 2006, 24,000 students from 37 rural schools in Perak have benefited from the company’s contribution of 2,000 books worth more than RM110,000 in English and Bahasa Malaysia, including encyclopaedia sets.
Group managing director Datuk Dr Mohd Hashim Tajudin said that it was vital for children to acquire a passion for reading from a young age, as it offered many advantages that aided their intellectual growth.
“While reading, you tend to subconsciously pitcture a vivid image in your mind about the story or topic.
“This exercises and challenges the mind to help keep build a capacity for enquiry and knowledge. In the process, one becomes more knowledgeable and confident,” he said.
“Without a doubt, a well-read student is more imaginative and has the ability and confidence to take an ingenious approach to connect the dots compared to others who might not be able to relate to a certain situation.
Mohd Hashim (seated, third from left) posing for a group photo with Mohd Radzi (seated, second from left) and school representatives.
“In spite of the introduction and availability of computers and internet, reading will continue to be a relevant and proven avenue to knowledge accumulation. Students need to know that the benefits of reading will definitely last a lifetime,” he added.
State education director Mohd Radzi Abd Jabar, who was present at the ceremony, commended the company for their initiative in promoting learning and confidence building amongst rural school children in the state through reading.
“I commend and thank CCM for its continuing efforts as it provides a chance for the students to discover and explore the wonders of reading, especially the latest developments in science, technology and health,” he said.
The donation is a corner stone of CCM’s corporate responsibility initiative to provide rural school children with equal opportunities as their urban peers to experience the joy of reading the latest books on science, health and technology.
Since the inception of the programme in 2006, 24,000 students from 37 rural schools in Perak have benefited from the company’s contribution of 2,000 books worth more than RM110,000 in English and Bahasa Malaysia, including encyclopaedia sets.
NEWS: Sharing e-learning expertise
N a bid to share technical expertise on e-learning, Telekom Smart Schools Sdn Bhd (TSS) and Zeal Hi Tech Sdn Bhd (Zeal) recently signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with South Korean e-learning solutions provider Dunet Inc.
The agreement between Dunet and TSS focuses on the provision Internet Protocol (IPTV) e-learning content, as well as collaboration in research.
Meanwhile, the understanding between Dunet and Zeal covers the area of IPTV solutions and platforms, including the sharing of technological expertise, embarking on joint projects and co-expanding for the overseas market.
Both agreements were part of the Multimedia Development Corporation’s (MDeC) efforts to create collaborative opportunities between international and local companies.
Together, the two MoUs aim to enhance the capacity of Malaysian e-education companies, as well as increase the global competitiveness of Malaysian Smart School companies.
MDeC chief executive officer Datuk Badlisham Ghazali and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea’s commercial counsellor Kim Jong-Hwan witnessed the ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Badlisham said that the companies involved were capable of enriching Korea’s IPTV e-learning initiative, particularly for programmes aimed at post-secondary and lifelong learning.
“This experience is invaluable for MDeC as we spearhead the Integrated Content Development Taskforce (ICON) that assists the Government in generating content for the High Speed Broadband (HSBB) initiative.
“I believe both parties will be able to work closely together to develop IPTV e-learning content and solutions, and perhaps even become leaders in the IPTV global networks.”
He added that the collaboration will allow Malaysia and South Korea to work more closely together to achieve the common goal of internationalising IPTV for education.
These recent agreements are the indirect result of a MoU signed in 2008 between MDeC and Korea’s National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) to collaborate on smart school programmes.
Signed in conjunction with the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), the 2008 MoU led to exchanges between Malaysian and Korean consortiums, ultimately contributing to the IPTV project framework.
The agreement between Dunet and TSS focuses on the provision Internet Protocol (IPTV) e-learning content, as well as collaboration in research.
Meanwhile, the understanding between Dunet and Zeal covers the area of IPTV solutions and platforms, including the sharing of technological expertise, embarking on joint projects and co-expanding for the overseas market.
Both agreements were part of the Multimedia Development Corporation’s (MDeC) efforts to create collaborative opportunities between international and local companies.
Together, the two MoUs aim to enhance the capacity of Malaysian e-education companies, as well as increase the global competitiveness of Malaysian Smart School companies.
MDeC chief executive officer Datuk Badlisham Ghazali and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea’s commercial counsellor Kim Jong-Hwan witnessed the ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Badlisham said that the companies involved were capable of enriching Korea’s IPTV e-learning initiative, particularly for programmes aimed at post-secondary and lifelong learning.
“This experience is invaluable for MDeC as we spearhead the Integrated Content Development Taskforce (ICON) that assists the Government in generating content for the High Speed Broadband (HSBB) initiative.
“I believe both parties will be able to work closely together to develop IPTV e-learning content and solutions, and perhaps even become leaders in the IPTV global networks.”
He added that the collaboration will allow Malaysia and South Korea to work more closely together to achieve the common goal of internationalising IPTV for education.
These recent agreements are the indirect result of a MoU signed in 2008 between MDeC and Korea’s National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) to collaborate on smart school programmes.
Signed in conjunction with the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), the 2008 MoU led to exchanges between Malaysian and Korean consortiums, ultimately contributing to the IPTV project framework.
NEWS: Beyond the textbook
COMPLETING Maths and Science homework may be a “necessary pain” for some students, but this is hardly the case for Meor Arif Afiq Nor Azmi, 16, from SMJK Confucian, as he regularly scours through The Star’s F123 and F4F5 pullouts.
“At times, we use the F123 and F4F5 pullouts in school, but my mother also buys the pullouts for me to do as revision at home.”
He adds that the Maths and Science guides, which could easily be made into mini booklets, are very helpful and fun to learn from because they are always filled with quirky fun facts, activities and memory boosters.
“From the pullouts, we learn how things we study are applied in our everyday life, rather than just the theory.”
Meor Arif Afiq is lucky to be a student from one of the four Klang Valley schools that will be receiving sponsored copies of F123 and F4F5 in their classrooms, thanks to Agilent Technologies in Malaysia.
Mohamad Anwar (standing, third from left) holding the mock cheque together with Abdul Halim and The Star executive editor Leanne Goh. With them are circulation senior executive Alvin Liew (far right), teachers and students with copies of the pullouts.
At the mock cheque presentation ceremony held recently, Agilent Technologies Sales South Asia Pacific Electronic Measurement Group (EMG) vice president Mohamad Anwar Au said the F123 and F4F5 pullouts fit in very well with the company’s goal to help develop students with the right focus.
“Education is a process, and it is important to start in school if we want to produce graduates and bright young minds who have the ability to think out of the box.”
After the mock cheque presentation, students were invited for a corporate tour, where they had a chance to see and learn about communications measurement tools from the leaders in the field.
In his speech, Federal Territory Education Department Schools Administration head Abdul Halim Ismail said that the contents of the pullouts had proven to be beneficial for students.
“The ministry would like to see teachers show creativity in their teaching. So it is up to teachers to adopt such materials for use in their classrooms,” he said.
SMK (L) Methodist teacher Loo Mee Keun said that the pullouts were useful as a teaching tool because the language used was simple and appropriate.
“There are also pictures and graphics in the pullouts that help explain the Science concepts well. I also like the fact that the contents are always changing and current issues are addressed.”
A mother herself, Loo added that she sometimes used the F123 pullouts to teach her daughter who is still in primary school.
The company will be sponsoring RM10,000 worth of F123 and F4F5 pullouts for the whole school year.
The four schools receiving sponsored copies of the Science and Maths pullouts are SMK Pandan Mewah, SMK (L) Methodist, SMK Sri Petaling, and SMJK Confucian.
F4F5, which caters to upper secondary students, is distributed through school subscription every second and fourth Monday of the month.
Meanwhile, the F123 pullout, designed for students in Forms One, Two and Three is distributed every first and third Monday.
Launched in 2008, the two 40-page pullouts are written by specialists and teachers and offer syllabus-based content, English-Malay translations of common scientific terms, and activities related to real-life phenomena and general knowledge.
To subscribe, call The Star’s audience development unit at 03-7967 1777 (direct line) or 03-7967 1388 ext 1152 or 1160, from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5.30pm.
“At times, we use the F123 and F4F5 pullouts in school, but my mother also buys the pullouts for me to do as revision at home.”
He adds that the Maths and Science guides, which could easily be made into mini booklets, are very helpful and fun to learn from because they are always filled with quirky fun facts, activities and memory boosters.
“From the pullouts, we learn how things we study are applied in our everyday life, rather than just the theory.”
Meor Arif Afiq is lucky to be a student from one of the four Klang Valley schools that will be receiving sponsored copies of F123 and F4F5 in their classrooms, thanks to Agilent Technologies in Malaysia.
Mohamad Anwar (standing, third from left) holding the mock cheque together with Abdul Halim and The Star executive editor Leanne Goh. With them are circulation senior executive Alvin Liew (far right), teachers and students with copies of the pullouts.
At the mock cheque presentation ceremony held recently, Agilent Technologies Sales South Asia Pacific Electronic Measurement Group (EMG) vice president Mohamad Anwar Au said the F123 and F4F5 pullouts fit in very well with the company’s goal to help develop students with the right focus.
“Education is a process, and it is important to start in school if we want to produce graduates and bright young minds who have the ability to think out of the box.”
After the mock cheque presentation, students were invited for a corporate tour, where they had a chance to see and learn about communications measurement tools from the leaders in the field.
In his speech, Federal Territory Education Department Schools Administration head Abdul Halim Ismail said that the contents of the pullouts had proven to be beneficial for students.
“The ministry would like to see teachers show creativity in their teaching. So it is up to teachers to adopt such materials for use in their classrooms,” he said.
SMK (L) Methodist teacher Loo Mee Keun said that the pullouts were useful as a teaching tool because the language used was simple and appropriate.
“There are also pictures and graphics in the pullouts that help explain the Science concepts well. I also like the fact that the contents are always changing and current issues are addressed.”
A mother herself, Loo added that she sometimes used the F123 pullouts to teach her daughter who is still in primary school.
The company will be sponsoring RM10,000 worth of F123 and F4F5 pullouts for the whole school year.
The four schools receiving sponsored copies of the Science and Maths pullouts are SMK Pandan Mewah, SMK (L) Methodist, SMK Sri Petaling, and SMJK Confucian.
F4F5, which caters to upper secondary students, is distributed through school subscription every second and fourth Monday of the month.
Meanwhile, the F123 pullout, designed for students in Forms One, Two and Three is distributed every first and third Monday.
Launched in 2008, the two 40-page pullouts are written by specialists and teachers and offer syllabus-based content, English-Malay translations of common scientific terms, and activities related to real-life phenomena and general knowledge.
To subscribe, call The Star’s audience development unit at 03-7967 1777 (direct line) or 03-7967 1388 ext 1152 or 1160, from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5.30pm.
NEWS: Tapping into technology
GONE are the days of the school master arbitrarily dictating a collection of facts for his charges to scribble into dog-eared exercise books.
The current generation of students have the opportunity to download entire textbooks, receive examination results through short messaging system (SMS), watch educational programmes on IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and access media-rich content via sponsored netbooks.
Teachers encourage interactivity in their lessons, and students are coached to become self-directed learners — all as part of the masterplan to embrace the future with technology.
Secondary school student Michelle Tan, however, is not convinced.
Michelle claims that for her Science class, the new computers in the lab seem to act as “glorified blackboards”.
It is increasingly becoming the norm rather than exception for pupils to use the Internet to do their homework. — File photo
“The teacher just puts in the software for the lesson, and reads through them like a PowerPoint presentation,” she says.
“So, instead of leafing through textbook pages, we’re clicking through the subject with a keyboard.”
Michelle’s experience may be an isolated one, but it poses a crucial question: to what extent is technology being used to meaningfully transform the way we teach and learn?
Holes in walls
One route to harnessing the full power of current and developing technology may be to question the status quo.
Collaborative learning: Students researching and discussing an assignment on campus. — File photo
For instance, the question that scientist Dr Sugata Mitra had in mind was whether children were able to pick up useful computing skills unsupervised.
In 1999, Dr Mitra chose to test his theory by placing a touchscreen computer in a carved “hole” on a wall in a slum in New Delhi, India.
Subsequent observation showed that children as young as eight years old were performing basic computer functions by the end of the week. In a month, they were downloading files from the Internet and playing online games.
The Hole-In-The-Wall project has since expanded to over 30 such computer stations in and outside of India, aiming to educate by engaging curiosity.
Dr Iskandar: The iPhone provides an extra dimension in terms of mobility for students.
Meanwhile, game designer and researcher Jane McGonigal wondered if online games, particularly alternate reality games and their networking elements, can be used to teach people how to save the world.
Alternate reality games present fictional narratives that take place in a real-world setting, where players’ actions and ideas may have an effect on the storyline.
Following that train of thought, McGonigal developed UrgentEvoke, a game which aims to engage young people in coming up with solutions for world problems such as poverty, climate change, war and education.
Funded by the World Bank Institute, the game was launched earlier this month and will last for ten weeks.
Every week, players are presented with a scenario that takes place within the game, such as famine or water shortage.
Players are then challenged to address the issue by taking action in the real-world, and post up evidence of their work in the form of blog entries, videos or photographs to collect points.
Anytime, anywhere
On the local front, educational institutions are making use of tools that encourage student mobility, thus enabling them to learn on the go.
When Cempaka School’s Cheras campus had to close down for a week of quarantine due to the A(H1N1) flu last June, classes were able to go on as usual online.
As Macbooks have been on the compulsory booklist for the group’s secondary school students for past four years, the transition was seamless.
“During the quarantine, we used the existing platform and followed the roster as per usual,” explains chairman Dr Iskandar Rizal Hamzah.
“But instead of the teachers going to the classroom, they went online to the virtual classroom.
“This meant that teachers were available in real time for the students. Attendance was compulsory, and classes went on as usual.”
Aside from laptops, Cempaka Schools has also introduced Apple iPhones for its International Ladies College students.
“The iPhone provides an extra dimension in terms of mobility for students. For example, on class trips, they will be able to post notes to their project files, record videos or interviews for project work, or access their notes on the go,” shares Dr Iskandar.
However, the gadgets, which are provided by the college, are not allowed in the classroom, so that lessons are not disrupted.
He adds that the objective of introducing such technology into the schools is not just about enabling students to pick up ICT skills, but also to educate them on how to use technology appropriately.
“It also affords us the opportunity to teach life skills for technology — for example, how to behave properly online, the dangers of the Internet, online safety, etc,” he says.
Stressing that the school has a zero tolerance policy for cyberbullying, Dr Iskandar shares that although some parents disagree with their tough stance on the proper use of technology, he feels that it is more important that bad online behaviour be nipped in the bud.
Another institution that has also decided to introduce the Apple iPhone 3GS for their students is Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (Limkokwing).
This enables students to receive real-time updates on their classes and schedule, as well as refer to their notes at any time.
“Basically, it is another way of ensuring our students are on the cutting edge,” says special assistant to the president Tiffanee Marie Lim.
“Everything is being transferred to mobile technology; it is replacing the laptop, which replaced the desktop.
“It makes everything faster, simpler, lighter and cooler.”
Open learning
The educational virtues of the Internet hardly worth repeating, especially in the realm of distance learning.
However, a few Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) faculty members decided to take their content distribution a step further – by making it freely available to anyone with a web browser.
Launched in 2001, MITOpenCourseWare offers syllabi, notes, assignments and audio-visual lecture clips of 1,900 MIT courses.
In an e-mail interview, MITOpen-CourseWare external relations director Steve Carson explains that the idea for the project stemmed from a realisation that the university was not suited to embark on a for-profit distance learning venture.
“This conclusion had a lot to do with the unique nature of MIT,” says Carson.
“The institute is very focused on the residential experience and uses a lot of hands-on experience in instruction.
“The faculty committee then returned to the MIT mission, which reads in part ‘to advance knowledge in ways that will best serve the nation and the world’. They thought about what MIT did best, which was residential education, and what the Internet did best, which was to distribute content widely and cheaply. And it occurred to them, why not combine these strengths?”
It appears that most OpenCourseWare material is used as reference by faculty and students in other institutions, to delve deeply into a specialised topic rather than to study a whole course.
“However, it’s clear that a subset of our visitors use a our courses to learn independently with great success — 43% of our visitors are independent learners,” adds Carson.
MIT’s novel concept has been credited for inspiring other ventures to tap into the Internet’s potential to democratise higher education, much to the delight of self-learners such as Charlie Hartono Lie.
“Due to financial and time constraints, local universities are out of my reach; these new ways of borderless learning have certainly given me hope in preparing for a better life,” says the 29-year-old Indonesian.
Searching for scholarship opportunities online, Charlie came across the University of the People (UoPeople), which bills itself as the world’s first online tuition-free university.
Currently enrolled in the institution’s computer science programme, Charlie is unfazed by the university’s unaccredited status.
“Of course, accreditation will definitely be a plus point, but my main concern is gaining knowledge,” he says.
UoPeople founder and president Shai Reshef asserts that many of the institution’s students have a similar resolve.
“We do intend to apply for accreditation, but I think that many people just want to learn; or they don’t have any other alternatives,” says Reshef.
“Plus, we already have the support of leading universities around the world, as well as the United Nations’ Global Alliance for ICT and Development.”
Although tuition is free, students still pay admission and examination fees on a sliding scale based on the economic situation in the student’s country of origin.
Meanwhile, Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU) has opted to radically experiment with the entire model of tertiary education.
As its name implies, the project makes full use of the peer-to-peer learning concept, giving users an online platform to fashion university-level courses from open learning resources.
“The course organisers are responsible for structuring the modules and leading discussions, but everyone in the class will pitch in with their own knowledge and help move the class along together,” says P2PU co-founder Stain Haklev.
“Our main focus is the collaborative learning process; I believe that everybody has the capacity to teach something.”
The current generation of students have the opportunity to download entire textbooks, receive examination results through short messaging system (SMS), watch educational programmes on IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and access media-rich content via sponsored netbooks.
Teachers encourage interactivity in their lessons, and students are coached to become self-directed learners — all as part of the masterplan to embrace the future with technology.
Secondary school student Michelle Tan, however, is not convinced.
Michelle claims that for her Science class, the new computers in the lab seem to act as “glorified blackboards”.
It is increasingly becoming the norm rather than exception for pupils to use the Internet to do their homework. — File photo
“The teacher just puts in the software for the lesson, and reads through them like a PowerPoint presentation,” she says.
“So, instead of leafing through textbook pages, we’re clicking through the subject with a keyboard.”
Michelle’s experience may be an isolated one, but it poses a crucial question: to what extent is technology being used to meaningfully transform the way we teach and learn?
Holes in walls
One route to harnessing the full power of current and developing technology may be to question the status quo.
Collaborative learning: Students researching and discussing an assignment on campus. — File photo
For instance, the question that scientist Dr Sugata Mitra had in mind was whether children were able to pick up useful computing skills unsupervised.
In 1999, Dr Mitra chose to test his theory by placing a touchscreen computer in a carved “hole” on a wall in a slum in New Delhi, India.
Subsequent observation showed that children as young as eight years old were performing basic computer functions by the end of the week. In a month, they were downloading files from the Internet and playing online games.
The Hole-In-The-Wall project has since expanded to over 30 such computer stations in and outside of India, aiming to educate by engaging curiosity.
Dr Iskandar: The iPhone provides an extra dimension in terms of mobility for students.
Meanwhile, game designer and researcher Jane McGonigal wondered if online games, particularly alternate reality games and their networking elements, can be used to teach people how to save the world.
Alternate reality games present fictional narratives that take place in a real-world setting, where players’ actions and ideas may have an effect on the storyline.
Following that train of thought, McGonigal developed UrgentEvoke, a game which aims to engage young people in coming up with solutions for world problems such as poverty, climate change, war and education.
Funded by the World Bank Institute, the game was launched earlier this month and will last for ten weeks.
Every week, players are presented with a scenario that takes place within the game, such as famine or water shortage.
Players are then challenged to address the issue by taking action in the real-world, and post up evidence of their work in the form of blog entries, videos or photographs to collect points.
Anytime, anywhere
On the local front, educational institutions are making use of tools that encourage student mobility, thus enabling them to learn on the go.
When Cempaka School’s Cheras campus had to close down for a week of quarantine due to the A(H1N1) flu last June, classes were able to go on as usual online.
As Macbooks have been on the compulsory booklist for the group’s secondary school students for past four years, the transition was seamless.
“During the quarantine, we used the existing platform and followed the roster as per usual,” explains chairman Dr Iskandar Rizal Hamzah.
“But instead of the teachers going to the classroom, they went online to the virtual classroom.
“This meant that teachers were available in real time for the students. Attendance was compulsory, and classes went on as usual.”
Aside from laptops, Cempaka Schools has also introduced Apple iPhones for its International Ladies College students.
“The iPhone provides an extra dimension in terms of mobility for students. For example, on class trips, they will be able to post notes to their project files, record videos or interviews for project work, or access their notes on the go,” shares Dr Iskandar.
However, the gadgets, which are provided by the college, are not allowed in the classroom, so that lessons are not disrupted.
He adds that the objective of introducing such technology into the schools is not just about enabling students to pick up ICT skills, but also to educate them on how to use technology appropriately.
“It also affords us the opportunity to teach life skills for technology — for example, how to behave properly online, the dangers of the Internet, online safety, etc,” he says.
Stressing that the school has a zero tolerance policy for cyberbullying, Dr Iskandar shares that although some parents disagree with their tough stance on the proper use of technology, he feels that it is more important that bad online behaviour be nipped in the bud.
Another institution that has also decided to introduce the Apple iPhone 3GS for their students is Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (Limkokwing).
This enables students to receive real-time updates on their classes and schedule, as well as refer to their notes at any time.
“Basically, it is another way of ensuring our students are on the cutting edge,” says special assistant to the president Tiffanee Marie Lim.
“Everything is being transferred to mobile technology; it is replacing the laptop, which replaced the desktop.
“It makes everything faster, simpler, lighter and cooler.”
Open learning
The educational virtues of the Internet hardly worth repeating, especially in the realm of distance learning.
However, a few Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) faculty members decided to take their content distribution a step further – by making it freely available to anyone with a web browser.
Launched in 2001, MITOpenCourseWare offers syllabi, notes, assignments and audio-visual lecture clips of 1,900 MIT courses.
In an e-mail interview, MITOpen-CourseWare external relations director Steve Carson explains that the idea for the project stemmed from a realisation that the university was not suited to embark on a for-profit distance learning venture.
“This conclusion had a lot to do with the unique nature of MIT,” says Carson.
“The institute is very focused on the residential experience and uses a lot of hands-on experience in instruction.
“The faculty committee then returned to the MIT mission, which reads in part ‘to advance knowledge in ways that will best serve the nation and the world’. They thought about what MIT did best, which was residential education, and what the Internet did best, which was to distribute content widely and cheaply. And it occurred to them, why not combine these strengths?”
It appears that most OpenCourseWare material is used as reference by faculty and students in other institutions, to delve deeply into a specialised topic rather than to study a whole course.
“However, it’s clear that a subset of our visitors use a our courses to learn independently with great success — 43% of our visitors are independent learners,” adds Carson.
MIT’s novel concept has been credited for inspiring other ventures to tap into the Internet’s potential to democratise higher education, much to the delight of self-learners such as Charlie Hartono Lie.
“Due to financial and time constraints, local universities are out of my reach; these new ways of borderless learning have certainly given me hope in preparing for a better life,” says the 29-year-old Indonesian.
Searching for scholarship opportunities online, Charlie came across the University of the People (UoPeople), which bills itself as the world’s first online tuition-free university.
Currently enrolled in the institution’s computer science programme, Charlie is unfazed by the university’s unaccredited status.
“Of course, accreditation will definitely be a plus point, but my main concern is gaining knowledge,” he says.
UoPeople founder and president Shai Reshef asserts that many of the institution’s students have a similar resolve.
“We do intend to apply for accreditation, but I think that many people just want to learn; or they don’t have any other alternatives,” says Reshef.
“Plus, we already have the support of leading universities around the world, as well as the United Nations’ Global Alliance for ICT and Development.”
Although tuition is free, students still pay admission and examination fees on a sliding scale based on the economic situation in the student’s country of origin.
Meanwhile, Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU) has opted to radically experiment with the entire model of tertiary education.
As its name implies, the project makes full use of the peer-to-peer learning concept, giving users an online platform to fashion university-level courses from open learning resources.
“The course organisers are responsible for structuring the modules and leading discussions, but everyone in the class will pitch in with their own knowledge and help move the class along together,” says P2PU co-founder Stain Haklev.
“Our main focus is the collaborative learning process; I believe that everybody has the capacity to teach something.”
Thursday, March 4, 2010
NEWS: Cradle Fund enjoying high success rate
KUALA LUMPUR: Pre-seed and seed fund provider Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd said it is enjoying a higher success rate among its ventures, compared to other grant-providers in the country.
It said that one out of two Cradle Fund recipients successfully commercialised their applications last year — a 50% commercialisation rate. The other venture capitalists, it claimed, averaged about 10%.
Chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan said Cradle Fund’s commercialisation rate is up 5%, from 45% the previous year.
“I believe this shows the quality, resourcefulness and resilience of Malaysian technopreneurs,” he said.
He said Cradle Fund is looking to further increase its commercialisation rate — to more than 55%.
During Cradle’s previous Key Performance Index (KPI) year, which ended May 2009, it funded about 117 innovations.
“We are still coming through the current KPI year, which will end in May, and will only have those numbers then,” Nazrin said.
Cradle Fund offers two types of conditional grants — pre-seed and seed/commercialisation.
The pre-seed grants offer funding of up to RM150,000 to teams or individuals, while the Cradle Investment Programme (CIP) 500 seed/commercialisation grant offers up to RM500,000 to budding Malaysian technopreneurs and other entrepreneurs.
Nazrin also said Cradle helps its grant recipients procure more venture capital or angel investments, as well as secure sales and contracts. It also handles the selling or licensing of their intellectual property to third parties.
Cradle Fund said it is also looking to do more co-investments with individual angel investors and corporate investors, both locally and regionally, to help stimulate early-stage funding.
“CIP 500, aside from providing commercialisation funding, plays a key role in supporting such initiatives,” Nazrin said.
It said that one out of two Cradle Fund recipients successfully commercialised their applications last year — a 50% commercialisation rate. The other venture capitalists, it claimed, averaged about 10%.
Chief executive officer Nazrin Hassan said Cradle Fund’s commercialisation rate is up 5%, from 45% the previous year.
“I believe this shows the quality, resourcefulness and resilience of Malaysian technopreneurs,” he said.
He said Cradle Fund is looking to further increase its commercialisation rate — to more than 55%.
During Cradle’s previous Key Performance Index (KPI) year, which ended May 2009, it funded about 117 innovations.
“We are still coming through the current KPI year, which will end in May, and will only have those numbers then,” Nazrin said.
Cradle Fund offers two types of conditional grants — pre-seed and seed/commercialisation.
The pre-seed grants offer funding of up to RM150,000 to teams or individuals, while the Cradle Investment Programme (CIP) 500 seed/commercialisation grant offers up to RM500,000 to budding Malaysian technopreneurs and other entrepreneurs.
Nazrin also said Cradle helps its grant recipients procure more venture capital or angel investments, as well as secure sales and contracts. It also handles the selling or licensing of their intellectual property to third parties.
Cradle Fund said it is also looking to do more co-investments with individual angel investors and corporate investors, both locally and regionally, to help stimulate early-stage funding.
“CIP 500, aside from providing commercialisation funding, plays a key role in supporting such initiatives,” Nazrin said.
NEWS: Broadband infrastructure may become a must
PUTRAJAYA: The Uniform Building By-Laws may be amended to make it a must for developers to provide broadband facilities in residential and commercial areas, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the facility was now deemed as crucial as having electricity and water supplies in one’s home, adding that almost every household had computers and Internet connection.
He said the Housing and Local Government Ministry had been directed to study the possibility and take up the matter with stakeholders to ensure the policy could be implemented.
“If this service is not provided now, it will cost more to have broadband facilities installed in the future,” he told reporters after chairing the Cabinet committee on the implementation of broadband services nationwide.
He said the Government’s target was to have a household broadband penetration rate of 50% and a mobile phone coverage of 97%.
Muhyiddin said it was important that plans for broadband services nationwide meet the target in order to boost the country’s competitiveness and provide economic spin-offs.
He said telecommunication firms would be erecting 1,000 towers this year to ensure better mobile service and coverage, adding that the cooperation of state governments and local authorities would be necessary to achieve this.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the facility was now deemed as crucial as having electricity and water supplies in one’s home, adding that almost every household had computers and Internet connection.
He said the Housing and Local Government Ministry had been directed to study the possibility and take up the matter with stakeholders to ensure the policy could be implemented.
“If this service is not provided now, it will cost more to have broadband facilities installed in the future,” he told reporters after chairing the Cabinet committee on the implementation of broadband services nationwide.
He said the Government’s target was to have a household broadband penetration rate of 50% and a mobile phone coverage of 97%.
Muhyiddin said it was important that plans for broadband services nationwide meet the target in order to boost the country’s competitiveness and provide economic spin-offs.
He said telecommunication firms would be erecting 1,000 towers this year to ensure better mobile service and coverage, adding that the cooperation of state governments and local authorities would be necessary to achieve this.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
NEWS: ePerolehan saving Govt millions of ringgit
PETALING JAYA: The Government is saving millions of ringgit annually through the use of an e-procurement system, according to the company that developed the electronic process.
Commerce Dot Com Sdn Bhd said the Government is benefitting from a 10% to 30% reduction in the prices it pays for goods and services each year, since it started using the ePerolehan system in 2006.
“The savings can run into millions of ringgit. The amount varies according to the Government’s annual budget,” said Muzafar Kamal Shahaluddin, senior vice-president of Commerce Dot Com.
According to Commerce Dot Com, 166 transactions have been done through the ePerolehan system since its introduction, with a total transaction value of RM230mil.
The company developed ePerolehan and the accompanying bidding system, called eBidding.
“Suppliers are able to enjoy savings on paper costs, as well as travelling expenses and time because (ePerolehan) reduces (the need for) face-to-face meetings,” said Muzafar. “These cost savings enable the suppliers to offer reduced prices to the Government.”
Muzafar said eBidding offers a procurement method that’s competitive, has a faster processing time and ensures a more transparent supplier-selection process.
“With eBidding, the procurement process only takes 20 to 30 days, compared to six months with the conventional tender system,” Muzafar said.
Going up
It is now mandatory for the 100,000 suppliers to the Government in the country to bid online for all government contracts via ePerolehan.
With eBidding, Muzafar predicted, the amount of online bids for government contracts will increase to one million this year, compared to the 805,046 recorded last year.
The ringgit value of the online transactions that will be made this year is also projected to increase — to more than RM11bil, compared to last year’s RM9bil.
The bidding sessions usually last about two to three hours each, and can see up to 10 pre-selected bidders competing for each government contract. The bids can be conducted monthly or quarterly, depending on the regularity of the tender announcements.
The bidding process can be done multiple times. A ranking is done throughout the process — the highest-ranked bidder will be the company that offers the lowest price.
After the bidding process is over, an evaluation will be carried out by the specified government agency.
Muzafar explained that eBidding is suitable for commodities, products and services that have a standard specification and/or a high value or quantity. An example would be black chairs of a certain height.
The largest bid to date on ePerolehan was for a RM31mil contract from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, for the supply and installation of ICT (information and communications technology) systems for the police.
Commerce Dot Com Sdn Bhd said the Government is benefitting from a 10% to 30% reduction in the prices it pays for goods and services each year, since it started using the ePerolehan system in 2006.
“The savings can run into millions of ringgit. The amount varies according to the Government’s annual budget,” said Muzafar Kamal Shahaluddin, senior vice-president of Commerce Dot Com.
According to Commerce Dot Com, 166 transactions have been done through the ePerolehan system since its introduction, with a total transaction value of RM230mil.
The company developed ePerolehan and the accompanying bidding system, called eBidding.
“Suppliers are able to enjoy savings on paper costs, as well as travelling expenses and time because (ePerolehan) reduces (the need for) face-to-face meetings,” said Muzafar. “These cost savings enable the suppliers to offer reduced prices to the Government.”
Muzafar said eBidding offers a procurement method that’s competitive, has a faster processing time and ensures a more transparent supplier-selection process.
“With eBidding, the procurement process only takes 20 to 30 days, compared to six months with the conventional tender system,” Muzafar said.
Going up
It is now mandatory for the 100,000 suppliers to the Government in the country to bid online for all government contracts via ePerolehan.
With eBidding, Muzafar predicted, the amount of online bids for government contracts will increase to one million this year, compared to the 805,046 recorded last year.
The ringgit value of the online transactions that will be made this year is also projected to increase — to more than RM11bil, compared to last year’s RM9bil.
The bidding sessions usually last about two to three hours each, and can see up to 10 pre-selected bidders competing for each government contract. The bids can be conducted monthly or quarterly, depending on the regularity of the tender announcements.
The bidding process can be done multiple times. A ranking is done throughout the process — the highest-ranked bidder will be the company that offers the lowest price.
After the bidding process is over, an evaluation will be carried out by the specified government agency.
Muzafar explained that eBidding is suitable for commodities, products and services that have a standard specification and/or a high value or quantity. An example would be black chairs of a certain height.
The largest bid to date on ePerolehan was for a RM31mil contract from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, for the supply and installation of ICT (information and communications technology) systems for the police.
NEWS: Govt will not check information flow on Internet
KUALA LUMPUR: Information, Communication, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said last night the Government would not impose any restrictions on the flow of information on the Internet.
However, he said, he hoped the people would be guided by religious and cultural values in deriving benefit from the cyberworld.
He said the Government could enforce the maximum restriction through legislation to check the negative elements spread through the new media, especially the Internet.
But it would not resort to such measures, similar to the proposal by China to use the so-called “Green Dam” censorware on all personal computers, he said.
“We have not done anything like that. We only ask that we use our religious and cultural values for our good. Besides, I admit that enforcement of the laws under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 will be to the maximum,” he said.
Rais said this on the Soal Jawab interview programme aired live last night over TV3. The minister was interviewed by Media Prima Group editor (news and current affairs) of TV7, TV8, TV9 and Radio Networks, Datuk Manja Ismail.
Not our invention
He said the ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) were carrying out certain exercises before enforcing the relevant laws.
According to Rais, the people should not blindly accept anything published by the new media.
“We are building a civilisation, a culture. We have our way in our country, Singapore have their own way, and Thailand theirs.
“We now have Facebook, Twitter. We are not angry. What are our values with regard to our participation in Facebook? How are those in Europe and the United States assaulting us subtly? Don’t we think about that?
“How do we handle our children who spend more time on Facebook than on their studies, on religious education? What I am saying is that the Internet is not our invention. We have to be cautious. Take the good, leave the bad,” he said.
Be careful
Rais said every individual must have duty of care when publishing on the Internet and in speech so as not to undermine national security.
“Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (provides for) an individual to have duty of care when writing in blogs, and in speech, so as to ensure that the nation’s security is unharmed.
“The act has existed since 1998. Some 113 cases have come up. The Attorney-General’s Chambers is acting on them. Twelve cases are being prepared and action will be taken.
Rais said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had agreed for a special officer from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to look into the adequacy of the existing laws.
Asked about the use of Facebook by several leaders to interact with the people, Rais said: “In such matters, we are using it for the country’s benefit.
“But there are people who publish to criticise. We have to be patient because this is a section of the Internet world which has survived on controversies.” — Bernama
However, he said, he hoped the people would be guided by religious and cultural values in deriving benefit from the cyberworld.
He said the Government could enforce the maximum restriction through legislation to check the negative elements spread through the new media, especially the Internet.
But it would not resort to such measures, similar to the proposal by China to use the so-called “Green Dam” censorware on all personal computers, he said.
“We have not done anything like that. We only ask that we use our religious and cultural values for our good. Besides, I admit that enforcement of the laws under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 will be to the maximum,” he said.
Rais said this on the Soal Jawab interview programme aired live last night over TV3. The minister was interviewed by Media Prima Group editor (news and current affairs) of TV7, TV8, TV9 and Radio Networks, Datuk Manja Ismail.
Not our invention
He said the ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) were carrying out certain exercises before enforcing the relevant laws.
According to Rais, the people should not blindly accept anything published by the new media.
“We are building a civilisation, a culture. We have our way in our country, Singapore have their own way, and Thailand theirs.
“We now have Facebook, Twitter. We are not angry. What are our values with regard to our participation in Facebook? How are those in Europe and the United States assaulting us subtly? Don’t we think about that?
“How do we handle our children who spend more time on Facebook than on their studies, on religious education? What I am saying is that the Internet is not our invention. We have to be cautious. Take the good, leave the bad,” he said.
Be careful
Rais said every individual must have duty of care when publishing on the Internet and in speech so as not to undermine national security.
“Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (provides for) an individual to have duty of care when writing in blogs, and in speech, so as to ensure that the nation’s security is unharmed.
“The act has existed since 1998. Some 113 cases have come up. The Attorney-General’s Chambers is acting on them. Twelve cases are being prepared and action will be taken.
Rais said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had agreed for a special officer from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to look into the adequacy of the existing laws.
Asked about the use of Facebook by several leaders to interact with the people, Rais said: “In such matters, we are using it for the country’s benefit.
“But there are people who publish to criticise. We have to be patient because this is a section of the Internet world which has survived on controversies.” — Bernama
NEWS: Broadband target reachable
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s broadband penetration is now 34.2% and the nation is on schedule to reach its 50% target by year end, said Information, Communications, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
“The majority of our people are set to join the reported five billion already connected, and we will face (these) modern challenges head on,” he said.
Rais was speaking at the 15th annual Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies (Apricot) 2010 on Monday.
He also said that he had met with executives at telecommunications giant Telekom Malaysia to discuss ways of improving the quality and reliability of broadband in both urban and rural areas.
“Obviously we are not just working on connecting people, there must be adequate speed at a reasonable cost with good service,” Rais said.
“We welcome new ideas from our regional partners and we certainly draw valuable expertise from them at conferences such as this one.”
In his keynote address, Rais stressed that the newly created “Internet civilisation” should come “at a cost that society can afford.”
“My hope is that the broadband industry, beyond just looking at the technology itself, does not deem the canopy of the law irrelevant,” he said.
During a press conference later, Rais noted that “the expansion of data protection, for example, is an important area that we are currently legislating on.”
“The majority of our people are set to join the reported five billion already connected, and we will face (these) modern challenges head on,” he said.
Rais was speaking at the 15th annual Asia-Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies (Apricot) 2010 on Monday.
He also said that he had met with executives at telecommunications giant Telekom Malaysia to discuss ways of improving the quality and reliability of broadband in both urban and rural areas.
“Obviously we are not just working on connecting people, there must be adequate speed at a reasonable cost with good service,” Rais said.
“We welcome new ideas from our regional partners and we certainly draw valuable expertise from them at conferences such as this one.”
In his keynote address, Rais stressed that the newly created “Internet civilisation” should come “at a cost that society can afford.”
“My hope is that the broadband industry, beyond just looking at the technology itself, does not deem the canopy of the law irrelevant,” he said.
During a press conference later, Rais noted that “the expansion of data protection, for example, is an important area that we are currently legislating on.”
NEWS: Cloud computing: The biggest threats
PETALING JAYA: The next generation of cloud-based storage and services allows us greater freedom to compute on the go. It enables us to be free from the storage constraints of compact devices and gives us the ability to access services and personal information on these devices regardless of our location.
But cloud computing also poses serious threats to online privacy. A report just published by The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and Hewlett-Packard Co in the United States details some of the more serious threats about what could occur when using cloud-based services, now and in the future.
Perhaps the most worrisome threat for individuals is the loss and interception of personal information such as credit card details, banking records, medical records, home and work address and any other information that could leave them susceptible to identity theft.
A lot of research has gone into creating cloud-based services, but perhaps not enough time and money has been spent protecting individuals’ privacy and safeguarding against the interception of information via third-party sites.
More resources need to be harnessed to ensure these services will be safe for people to use when future generations of hackers try to prey on cloud-based databases.
There are few laws in place that govern cloud-based security practices. Cloud computing privacy policies are often very vague about what happens in the event of information loss or theft.
This level of uncertainty is largely replicated in the early adoption of cloud computing. Security is cited as the number one barrier to adoption.
New users find it difficult to weigh up the pros and cons of cloud computing; there is a wealth of opportunities floating in the cloud but customers are very concerned about the associated risks.
By highlighting the top cloud computing security issues, CSA and HP hope to make cloud computing safer for consumers and businesses alike.
“Cloud services are clearly the next generation of information technology that enterprises must master. We have a shared responsibility to understand the security threats that accompany the cloud and apply the necessary best practices to mitigate them,” said Jim Reavis, founder of the Cloud Security Alliance.
The top security threats of cloud computing:
1. Abuse and nefarious use of cloud computing;
2. Insecure interfaces and APIs;
3. Malicious insiders;
4. Shared technology issues;
5. Data loss or leakage;
6. Account or service hijacking; and
7. Unknown risk profile
The full report can be viewed here, http://bit.ly/bxbtUR. — Relaxnews
But cloud computing also poses serious threats to online privacy. A report just published by The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and Hewlett-Packard Co in the United States details some of the more serious threats about what could occur when using cloud-based services, now and in the future.
Perhaps the most worrisome threat for individuals is the loss and interception of personal information such as credit card details, banking records, medical records, home and work address and any other information that could leave them susceptible to identity theft.
A lot of research has gone into creating cloud-based services, but perhaps not enough time and money has been spent protecting individuals’ privacy and safeguarding against the interception of information via third-party sites.
More resources need to be harnessed to ensure these services will be safe for people to use when future generations of hackers try to prey on cloud-based databases.
There are few laws in place that govern cloud-based security practices. Cloud computing privacy policies are often very vague about what happens in the event of information loss or theft.
This level of uncertainty is largely replicated in the early adoption of cloud computing. Security is cited as the number one barrier to adoption.
New users find it difficult to weigh up the pros and cons of cloud computing; there is a wealth of opportunities floating in the cloud but customers are very concerned about the associated risks.
By highlighting the top cloud computing security issues, CSA and HP hope to make cloud computing safer for consumers and businesses alike.
“Cloud services are clearly the next generation of information technology that enterprises must master. We have a shared responsibility to understand the security threats that accompany the cloud and apply the necessary best practices to mitigate them,” said Jim Reavis, founder of the Cloud Security Alliance.
The top security threats of cloud computing:
1. Abuse and nefarious use of cloud computing;
2. Insecure interfaces and APIs;
3. Malicious insiders;
4. Shared technology issues;
5. Data loss or leakage;
6. Account or service hijacking; and
7. Unknown risk profile
The full report can be viewed here, http://bit.ly/bxbtUR. — Relaxnews
NEWS: Pushing more marketers to use social networking
NEW YORK: Facebook and Omniture, the web analytics software maker, are working together to help companies use the world’s largest social network as a marketing channel.
Using Omniture’s products, companies will be able to measure how effective their ads are on Facebook.
They will also be able to use Omniture’s search engine marketing management tool to buy Facebook ads.
And they will be able to compare how well their ad campaigns do on Facebook compared with other outlets.
EMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson said the deal is a “really big move” because many large online marketers use Omniture on a regular basis.
“Marketers have been so interested in Facebook, but frustrated by the lack of analytics that Facebook is providing them,” she said.
The partnership with Omniture, which Adobe Systems Inc bought last fall for US$1.8bil (RM6bil), will boost ad spending on Facebook, she added.
EMarketer expects worldwide ad spending on Facebook to hit US$605mil (RM2.1bil) this year. That would be a 39% increase from 2009.
“If it’s hard to understand how effective advertising is, companies are less likely to do it,” Williamson said.
Wednesday’s announcement expands a partnership Facebook and Omniture started last year. — AP
Using Omniture’s products, companies will be able to measure how effective their ads are on Facebook.
They will also be able to use Omniture’s search engine marketing management tool to buy Facebook ads.
And they will be able to compare how well their ad campaigns do on Facebook compared with other outlets.
EMarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson said the deal is a “really big move” because many large online marketers use Omniture on a regular basis.
“Marketers have been so interested in Facebook, but frustrated by the lack of analytics that Facebook is providing them,” she said.
The partnership with Omniture, which Adobe Systems Inc bought last fall for US$1.8bil (RM6bil), will boost ad spending on Facebook, she added.
EMarketer expects worldwide ad spending on Facebook to hit US$605mil (RM2.1bil) this year. That would be a 39% increase from 2009.
“If it’s hard to understand how effective advertising is, companies are less likely to do it,” Williamson said.
Wednesday’s announcement expands a partnership Facebook and Omniture started last year. — AP
NEWS: i-City readying to nurture technopreneurs
SHAH ALAM: The setting up of technopreneur campuses throughout the state is part of the state government’s plans to accelerate the transformation of Selangor into a knowledge-economy.
The i-City development project here has the first such campus and it is the flagship. As part of the programme, the campus must host a state-sponsored technopreneurial incubator.
So i-City and the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS), as well as PlugandPlayTech Center, are jointly setting up the i-City PlugandPlayTechCenter Incubator.
PlugandPlayTechCenter is a Silicon Valley-based community of more 280 technology startup companies in the areas of Web 2.0, software-as-a-service systems, semiconductor and telecoms verticals.
The US company is also considering investing in the technopreneur companies participating in this incubator programme, as well as to be a bridge for them to the US market and US venture capital funds.
i-Berhad, which is developing i-City, said there are opportunities for Malaysians to form joint ventures with the tech companies in PlugandPlayTechCentre’s Silicon Valley campus to localise their products and services for the regional market.
For a start
In the initial phase, the Selangor state government through its agencies will invest a total of RM50mil in a number of technopreneur companies under the i-City PnP Incubator programme.
The incubator will also be working with the Multimedia Development Corporation, which is guardian of the country’s MSC Malaysia initiative, and several Malaysian technopreneurial associations. This is to ensure the incubation programme meets with local technopreneur needs.
The facility will initially occupy a 2,000sq ft space at the i-City Cybercentre Suite 1 Complex and will be relocated to a dedicated building when the structure is completed in two years.
i-City PnP Incubator has also established a business services group to provide administrative, secretarial and legal facilities to the technopreneur companies.
A mentor panel, comprising experienced business leaders, to coach and guide these technopreneurs is also in place.
Choice pickings
In the first half of this year, 10 to 15 companies will be identified for nurturing. The initial selection will focus on those developing solutions for digital cities, mobile content, or products and services for property and construction related sectors.
Moving into the second half of the year, there will be an opportunity for 20 to 30 potential individuals desiring to be technopreneurs.
i-City PnP Incubator’s role in this phase will be to link these individuals with the relevant resources to enable them to move beyond the concept stage and into developing prototypes.
It is envisaged that this will take about two to three years to move each technopreneur company from the initial concept stage to the growth stage, and so by the end of 2011, i-City PnP Incubator will be hosting about 50 companies every year.
When announcing the incubator programme last week, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim also said the state government has conferred International Park-status on i-City.
This means i-City can have entertainment and cosmopolitan lifestyle outlets, and that these facilities can operate round the clock.
At the same time, the state government is also accelerating construction of the direct access to i-City from the Federal Highway.
Both these efforts will help ensure the success of the i-City PnP Incubator programme, i-Berhad said.
About i-City
When completed in 2012 it will be an RM2bil 72-acre integrated commercial township, with state-of-the-art ICT (information and communications technology) facilities.
Among these will be 20Mbps (megabits per second) high-speed multi-telco broadband connectivity, scalable to 1Gbps (Gigabits per second). Current broadband speeds in the country are up to 4Mbps.
i-City will also feature fibre-optic network connections, a backup power supply, a Tier 4-ready datacentre, shared facilities, and a concierge service to handle receptionist and secretarial tasks for its tenants.
The i-City development project here has the first such campus and it is the flagship. As part of the programme, the campus must host a state-sponsored technopreneurial incubator.
So i-City and the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS), as well as PlugandPlayTech Center, are jointly setting up the i-City PlugandPlayTechCenter Incubator.
PlugandPlayTechCenter is a Silicon Valley-based community of more 280 technology startup companies in the areas of Web 2.0, software-as-a-service systems, semiconductor and telecoms verticals.
The US company is also considering investing in the technopreneur companies participating in this incubator programme, as well as to be a bridge for them to the US market and US venture capital funds.
i-Berhad, which is developing i-City, said there are opportunities for Malaysians to form joint ventures with the tech companies in PlugandPlayTechCentre’s Silicon Valley campus to localise their products and services for the regional market.
For a start
In the initial phase, the Selangor state government through its agencies will invest a total of RM50mil in a number of technopreneur companies under the i-City PnP Incubator programme.
The incubator will also be working with the Multimedia Development Corporation, which is guardian of the country’s MSC Malaysia initiative, and several Malaysian technopreneurial associations. This is to ensure the incubation programme meets with local technopreneur needs.
The facility will initially occupy a 2,000sq ft space at the i-City Cybercentre Suite 1 Complex and will be relocated to a dedicated building when the structure is completed in two years.
i-City PnP Incubator has also established a business services group to provide administrative, secretarial and legal facilities to the technopreneur companies.
A mentor panel, comprising experienced business leaders, to coach and guide these technopreneurs is also in place.
Choice pickings
In the first half of this year, 10 to 15 companies will be identified for nurturing. The initial selection will focus on those developing solutions for digital cities, mobile content, or products and services for property and construction related sectors.
Moving into the second half of the year, there will be an opportunity for 20 to 30 potential individuals desiring to be technopreneurs.
i-City PnP Incubator’s role in this phase will be to link these individuals with the relevant resources to enable them to move beyond the concept stage and into developing prototypes.
It is envisaged that this will take about two to three years to move each technopreneur company from the initial concept stage to the growth stage, and so by the end of 2011, i-City PnP Incubator will be hosting about 50 companies every year.
When announcing the incubator programme last week, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim also said the state government has conferred International Park-status on i-City.
This means i-City can have entertainment and cosmopolitan lifestyle outlets, and that these facilities can operate round the clock.
At the same time, the state government is also accelerating construction of the direct access to i-City from the Federal Highway.
Both these efforts will help ensure the success of the i-City PnP Incubator programme, i-Berhad said.
About i-City
When completed in 2012 it will be an RM2bil 72-acre integrated commercial township, with state-of-the-art ICT (information and communications technology) facilities.
Among these will be 20Mbps (megabits per second) high-speed multi-telco broadband connectivity, scalable to 1Gbps (Gigabits per second). Current broadband speeds in the country are up to 4Mbps.
i-City will also feature fibre-optic network connections, a backup power supply, a Tier 4-ready datacentre, shared facilities, and a concierge service to handle receptionist and secretarial tasks for its tenants.
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