Malaysia Has To Change To Innovation-Based Economy, Says Najib

Malaysia Has To Change To Innovation-Based Economy, Says Najib

KUANTAN, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia needs a paradigm shift from a knowledge-based economy to innovation-centred in order to stand in the same row with advanced nations, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said today. "This is important especially in efforts to integrate the economy with the global economic network.

"We are determined to continue to bring changes to the economy. Now, we are working towards innovation-centred economy. The three main features are creativity, innovation value and high skills," he said when launching MSC Malaysia Pahang Initiative. Najib said the MSC Malaysia was a crucial initiative in ensuring innovation was at the highest level. So far, MSC Malaysia has set up more than 2,300 MSC-status companies which have provided 80,000 highly-skilled jobs.

On the national broadband penetration plan, the prime minister said Malaysia had achieved 26 per cent so far and aimed to increase it to 50 per cent by next year.

"The government is confident of achieving the target. If we attain the 50 per cent target, a study by the Economic Planning Unit showed it would boost the national GDP by 1.2 per cent," said Najib who is also Finance Minister.

The MSC Malaysia Pahang Initiative is part of the MSC Malaysia's overall rollout plan which aims to spread the MSC Malaysia benefits and value propositions nationwide.

It will complement the East Coast Economic Region development plan through the use of ICT.

MDeC is now the strategic advisor to the Pahang State Government and will be working closely with the Pahang Technology Resources Sdn Bhd (PTR), the One Stop Agency for MSC Malaysia Pahang to plan and implement ICT programmes.

PTR is a company wholly-owned by the Pahang state government.

Najib said the government had approved RM12.86 million to the Multimedia Development Corp (MDeC) under the second stimulus package for the implementation of MSC Malaysia ICON programme for the rivate sector.

This is in line with the government's aspiration to increase the national broadband penetration and generating demand through the enablement of online content.

MDeC was tasked to lead the private sector initiatives in the development on online contents while Malaysia Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) has been entrusted to lead the public sector initiatives.

The MSC Malaysia ICON programmes include the award of grants to small and medium enterprises to develop and re-purpose the educational and social networking based content for online enablement, development program targeted at local developers to produce mobile and online applications.

Besides supporting the effort to increase the national broadband penetration, the MSC Malaysia ICON programmes intend to open up opportunities for local entrepreneurs to participate in the development of online contents through targeted support in the areas of project funding, skills development and infrastructural requirement.

Under MSC Malaysia ICON, among the programmes initiated are ICONedu, ICONity, ICONapps and ICONex.

-- BERNAMA