The Multimedia Development Corporation or MDeC is announcing the MSC Malaysia 2011 was performing its best to date. It has shown strong growth and has exceeded its set targets.

In 2011, MSC Malaysia revenue was RM 31.7 billion, an increase of 16% from 2010. Exports grew to RM 10.12 billion, a 9% rise from the previous year.  MSC Malaysia saw a GDP contribution of RM 9.6 billion against a projected target of RM 8.7 billion; an increase of 25% over 2010.

In job creation, 7,602 jobs were created against a target of 5,464, a 7% growth;  the total number of jobs created in MSC Malaysia since 2007 to 119,138.

Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of MDeC said, “MSC Malaysia performed very well in 2011. Our revenue surpassed the RM 30 billion mark, which is the highest ever recorded. It also showed the best growth since the financial crisis of 2008. In the area of GDP contribution, MSC Malaysia contributed 1.12% to the nation’s GDP which also reflected a growth from the previous year.”

In terms of breakdown, the Infotech cluster accounted for nearly half the revenue with a total of RM 15.4 billion. The Shared Services and Outsourcing (SSO) cluster was responsible for RM 9.1 billion. The Creative Multimedia cluster registered a revenue of RM 6.1 billion.  Institutes of Higher Learning and Incubators accounted for RM 1.1 billion.

Investments into MSC Malaysia also saw significant growth  at RM 2.5 billion, a 69.2 % increase over 2010:  63% for Domestic Direct Investment and  37% for Foreign Direct Investment.

Datuk Badlisham attributed the strong showing to a combination of factors like MSC Malaysia’s attractiveness as a destination for Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO), the slew of new business opportunities created by advancing technology and the maturing of the MSC Malaysia companies themselves.

“Many of the MSC Malaysia companies are now coming into their own. With both domestic and international growth, we expect to see this trend continue moving forward. At the same time, many of the Multinational Companies (MNCs) recognize MSC Malaysia as a good location for high-value outsourcing services as reflected in both new investments as well as re-investments. Another critical factor has been the rate of absorption of ICT into the business and social landscape which has led to a host of new opportunities and markets,” he said.

MDeC is confident of continued growth and believes that there will be even more opportunities for MSC Malaysia companies as the various components of the Economic Transformation Programme roll out. The MSC Malaysia expects to stand out as a good investment destination because of its strong value proposition for MNCs.

“As we move even faster into a digital economy, the need for new solutions, technologies and business models is set to grow. This will certainly augur well for MSC Malaysia,” added Badlisham.

The Malaysian mobile industry celebrated the GoMobile Awards Night on May 10th, 2012.

Dato’ Joseph Salang, Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture was the guest of honour.

Also present were Dato Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi, Chairman of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of Multimedia Development Corporation, MDEC, Che Azemi Haron, Deputy Secretary General(Communications), KPKK and top officers from service providers and mobile companies.

Dato Joseph Salang said  “The platform that GoMobile has created to acknowledge the best in the Malaysian Mobile Industry is important to spur and encourage development, improvement and originality, in other words innovation and creativity. More importantly, almost the entire mobile ecosystem is being recognised tonight.”

He acknowledged the efforts of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC),particularly MCMC’s Creative Industry Development Grant (CIDG) worth RM100million and the MSC Malaysia ICON2 programme.

Ten mobile applications received inOvation Malaysia Awards for best products and services of the year. 

The inOvation Malaysia Awards, presented since 2008, are a joint initiative of Maxis and GoMobile. 

Maxis launched a developer initiative called NextApps for developers with innovative new apps and services for their subscribers.

Among the companies awarded inOvation Malaysia Awards were Endeavor Mobile, an Android Medical Image Software, m2u Mobile Payment app by Maybank, Augmented Reality Muslim Toolkit by Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and SecQ.me a mobile personal safety application; and Studio 212 and Ahead Mobile. Three startups under the MSC ICON2 mobile app developer programme were ARMS  F&B (Restaurant POS), iLiufa S8 and TableFour.Us

Maxis swept top honours at the GoMobile Operators Awards, receiving Operator of the Year, Best Mobile Broadband and Best Mobile Content and Services. 

U Mobile (Best New Service), Celcom, TuneTalk, DiGi and P1 also picked up awards.

The HTC One X received the Best Mobile Device of 2012 at the event. 

Other brands that won awards for being best in various categories at the Mobile World Star Awards 2012 were Asus, ZTE, Sony and Acer. 

The Asia Pacific Mobile Learning & Edutainment Advisory Panel (APACMLEAP) Mobile Learning Initiatives Recognitions for 2010 were awarded to five local and international organizations recognized for their efforts in the area of mobile learning including Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya.

Kashminder Singh, co-organiser of GoMobile 2012 said that the awards have become the premier mobile awards in Malaysia. “The GoMobile Awards is an event that the Malaysian mobile industry can truly call its own,” adding, “We are especially delighted with the increasing number of local applications and services that are beginning to emerge. The partnership efforts between the Government and industry to grow the local content industry are bearing fruit. We hope to put up an even more spectacular show next year where we believe this sector would have blossomed even further. Our vision is to make GoMobile the hub of this region’s mobile industry.”

 

Winners at GoMobile Awards Night below:

The inOvation Malaysia Awards
· Endeavor Mobile medical appUniversiti Sains Malaysia
· Tonton mobile appAlt Media
· m2u Mobile Payment Maybank
· Masatu Agmo Studio
· Augmented Reality Muslim Toolkit  Limkokwing University of Creative Technology
· Lightopus gameAppXplore 
· Battle of the Sexes Techninier
· Ahead MobileFinder 301
· SecQ.me SECQME
· Studio 212

ICON2 Most Promising Startups
· ARMS  F&B (Restaurant POS)· iLiufa S8· TableFour.Us

Mobile World Best Devices of 2012
· THE MOBILE DEVICE OF THE YEAR: HTC One X

· The Best Malaysian Brand: XiMAX

· Best Value Phone: ZTE V880E

· Best Design: SONY Xperia Arc series

· Ground Breaking Device: ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime

· Best Smartphone: HTC One X

· Best Tablet Device: ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime

· Best Ultraportable: ACER Aspire Timeline Ultra M3 

GOMOBILE OPERATOR OF THE YEAR
· OPERATOR OF THE YEAR 2012 AWARD: MAXIS

· The Best Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO): TUNE TALK

· The Best Prepaid Service Award: DIGI

· The Best Postpaid Service: CELCOM

· Best Mobile Broadband: MAXIS

· Best New Service: U MOBILE

· Best Mobile Content & Services: MAXIS

· Best Home Wireless Broadband award: P1

 

APACMLEAP Mobile Learning Initiatives Recognitions
· Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya

· Mobile ICT

· Ignite Asia Co.Ltd.

· Pixatel Systems Inc.

· Rehan School

 

GoMobile Expo is  now taking place in the KL Convention  Centre from May 11 to 13.

This is the 4th since 2008.  This year the Expo is focussed on apps and services.

GoMobile is endorsed by the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Culture. 

The CEO of Multimedia Development Corporation, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, opened the expo. T. Kugan, Vice President Maxis and senior representatives from the Ministries and Strategic Partners of GoMobile was also present.

The events happening at the expo:

AppCity: A playground of apps

it is the largest ever platform for local mobile developers to showcase their apps to Malaysians. More than 150 locally developed mobile applications are showcasing.

It  is being powered by the MSC ICON2 programme which created  a large pool of mobile developers of apps for iOS and Android, like games, productivity, content, social networking and more.
 

There are international developers from Philippines, Thailand , Korea, Pakistan and India

Workshops

The highlight of the 3-day workshop is a mobile photography workshop  by media and photography legend  Markku Veijalainen from Finland.

GoMobile 2012 is supported by The Malaysian Multimedia and Communications Commission  (MCMC), Maxis and Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). Maybank is Official Bank and Mobile Banking Partner. Training organisation, iTrain powers many of the AppCity Workshops while leading magazine, Mobile World is Official Publication. 

InstaMeetupKL

GoMobile is hosting  InstaMeetupKL for all Instagramers and enthusiasts.

There will be fun themed Photowalls for you to come and pose at and potentially win amazing prizes. Ever wanted to express your thought out loud? We’ve got a wall for that! Ever wanted to be in a Frameception? We’ve got a wall for that! Need to learn how to use all those fantastic photography apps you keep hearing so much about? We’ve got a wall for that too!
 

The Instameet Photowalk will happen on Sunday at 9am. Participants are meeting at the KLCC Park, in front of Starbucks.

Other happenings:

PitchIN

Malaysia's own crowdfunding site, pitchIN, launches at GoMobile with the first batch of Project Owners. Expo visitors can also explore how they can pitch their projects too.

MobileFest

MobileFest, a group a tech enthusiasts from different background., are meeting at the expo at  2.30pm on Saturday.

Buy and Win

GoMobile Marketplace will feature devices, accessories, gadgets and IT products. All purchases of RM200 and above in a single receipt from an authorised retailer at GoMobile will receive a free gift from the lucky dip. Lucky purchasers may even win phones and other fantastic gifts.

Yesterday, May 3rd, was Press Freedom Day around the world.

Quite a lot of activities happened yesterday, with the local social media.

Like, for instance, at the University Selangor (Unisel) when some students read Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

ArtCreative Design and Custom coding

Or when Penang Chinese Media Journalist and Photographers Association and SUARAM Penang filmed a video asking journalists to share their thoughts on why they do what they do as well as related issues, like:

1) Why are you a journalist?

2) What are the challenges you face in carrying out your job as a journalist?

3) Why are you still a journalist?

4) What are your expectations for your career?

5) What does media freedom mean to you?

ArtCreative Design and Custom coding