PETALING JAYA: Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) is the last bastion for Malay and bumiputra students to further their studies and there is no need to open it up to other races, the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) said.
In a response to the proposal by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim for UiTM to open up 10% of its intake to other races, PPIM said the move would be seen as challenging the special rights of the Malays.
PPIM project director Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said the government and its leaders had to be tougher in defending such issues because although the country was multiracial, there was "no need to sideline Malay special rights."
"If something like this is allowed to happen, then there will be a worrying situation where many Malay institutions will crumble and be 'Malaysia-nised'.
"It is hoped that the exclusiveness of UiTM is not undermined by anyone and it be allowed to continue as an institution that will strengthen the Malays," he said in a statement.
Noor Nirwandy said that UiTM has not only produced many excellent scholars but has also had many graduates who were able to compete with other races in the job market.
He added that the reason given by Khalid, which was to create more competition amongst students, was unnecessary because university students already competed amongst each other.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Autonomy for UTM
JOHOR BARU: The Higher Education Ministry has granted Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) autonomy in four areas, making it the first in the country to receive the status.
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said UTM was capable of handling its affairs independently in these areas.
“The ministry has also identified several other universities but I will only announce their names on Jan 26 (when he delivers his new year address),” he said.
Mohamed Khaled explained that with the autonomy, the university would now take full responsibility for institutional governance, academic governance, financial management and human resource management.
He was speaking to reporters after presenting endowment scholarships to 100 UTM undergraduates at the campus in Skudai here yesterday.
“UTM will also handle its student intake and will no longer have to go through the ministry's Universities Admissions Unit (UPU),” he said.
He added that autonomy for UTM would take effect starting this year but the formal announcement would be made on Jan 26.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled also urged university alumni to play a more active role in developing their respective universities.
“The alumni should not only limit their contributions to financial aid but other areas as well.
“For example, the alumni can help with establishing internship programmes or create business opportunities for students,” he said
INTI's Industry Collaborations Link Students to Latest Resources in ICT
IBM, Cisco and SAP are among INTI’s list of global IT partners providing students with cutting edge technological know-how and professional certification to ensure their high employability upon graduation.
In fulfilling its brand promise to bring industry into the classroom, INTI through synergistic alliances such as MyUniAlliance with SAP and Software Career Training (SCT) with IBM, have enabled its students to gain access to a wealth of resources, technologies, industry best practices and business solutions.
INTI was one of the first educational institutions in Malaysia to participate in MyUniAlliance, an initiative by Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) to upscale and hone the abilities of undergraduates in ICT. A special hosting service is available to INTI’s students to access SAP systems for hands-on learning under a free software license that will provide knowledge of integrated business processes and industry best practices.
“Graduates need to be knowledgeable about Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems which integrate internal and external management information across an entire organization. We are very pleased to be in partnership with SAP, the world’s largest ERP solutions provider, to create educational opportunities and promote innovation among our students,” said Professor Walter Wong, Vice-Chancellor of INTI International University.
Professional certification provides INTI students with additional practical skills and knowledge that will give them a competitive edge over their peers. IBM’s SCT programme offers students a combination of technical knowledge, IBM leading technology, industry best practices and personal professional development in one integrated, career-enhancing learning experience. Graduates will acquire a high quality and recognised Malaysian qualification from INTI as well as an international IBM professional certification which gives them an immediate edge in job interviews and employment.
INTI has also worked alongside Cisco Networking Academy for many years. By incorporating the CCNA and CCNA wireless syllabus into its Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Network & Mobile Computing programme, INTI ensures that students develop the skills to design and manage medium-sized networks. The partnership also presents a pathway to professional certification in CCNP and CCIE.
The INTI curriculum emphasises on all-rounded development of a student’s cognitive and practical skills. Close collaboration with the industry ensures that the curriculum developed is relevant to the market’s needs, and more importantly, focuses on soft skills such as project management, team work, and proposals among others, which are essential skills when entering the work force.
Students of INTI benefit not only from the institution’s over 25 years of experience and strong track-record, but also gain from the global synergy and resources that Laureate International Universities provides. Laureate – the world’s largest private education network – has a presence in 29 countries, with more than 60 accredited universities and 130 campuses, serving more than 675,000 students globally.
SEGi College offers Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance
KUCHING: Islamic Banking and Finance is currently popular among banking and financial organisations around the world for practicing non-interest financing and adopting the principle of profit sharing.
As a Muslim country, Malaysia acknowledges this concept and encourages local banking organisations to implement this concept into their banking operations.
This industry is currently experiencing rapid growth, resulting in an increased demand for skilled professionals to contribute their knowledge and experience to support and facilitate this continued expansion.
Admiring the concept of Islamic Banking, SEGi College Sarawak took the challenge to produce young professionals by launching the new Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance programme in April 2012.
According to the college’s principal Elina Tiu this course aimed to develop marketable graduates who can take on several roles such as management economics, accounting, and marketing, among others.
“Students will learn general Islamic Banking and Finance, Insurance and Takaful, Financial Management and Planning, Business and Company Law and many more, and will be taught by academic professionals, covering the theory and practical aspects to actual industry scenarios. In addition, this course enables student to gain real-life experience through industrial training,” added Tiu.
Gaining recognition from the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and the Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), the Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance programme received a 5-star rating in the recent MOHE MyQuest Evaluation as it enables students to enjoy wider career prospects after completion.
Students with minimum of three credits in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), SPMV, O-Level or equivalent are eligible to register for the programme.
Students who are interested in this course and looking for financial assistance should consult any of the college’s course counsellors for more information.
The college also provides financial aid and study loans and, for high achievers with excellent results in SPM and STPM, scholarships are offered.
With the knowledge, theoretical experience and practical experience gained from the academic professionals as well as industrial training, graduates from the college will be ready for various positions within the Islamic Banking industry.
For more information on the Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance programme, you can walk-in to the SEGi College Sarawak main campus at 211, Jalan Bukit Mata, Kuching, visit any of their branch offices in Sibu and Kota Kinabalu from 8.30am to 5.30pm, call 1-300-88-7344 or 082 – 252566, email infoswk@gmail.com or log on to www.segi.edu.my
UUM Hosts ITU’S ‘GIRLS IN ICT DAY’ Celebratory Programme
UUM ONLINE: The world celebrated the ITU international ‘Girls in ICT Day’ on 26 April 2012. In Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), chosen as the host to celebrate the occasion, held ITU’s ‘Girls in ICT Day’ programme under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union-Universiti Utara Malaysia Asia Pacific Centre of Excellence for Rural ICT Development (ITU-UUM ASP CoE).
The event, which is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in April, honours girls’ interests and strengths, and encourages them to choose a career in information and communication technologies.
The one-day programme was replete with various activities for the edification of the participants comprising over 300 students from UUM and several secondary schools from around the Kubang Pasu district in Kedah. Among the activities were a talk on ICT awareness by James L. Sinclair, Manager of the Broadcast Engineering Programme at the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD); a talk on Soft Skills Development by Huraizah Abdul Rahman, Manager of the Desa Balik Pulau Internet Centre, Penang; a talk on Careers in ICT by Dr. Azizah Ahmad, a lecturer at UUM; a quiz on ICT; and a creative video contest.
The Deputy Secretary-General (Communication), Ministry of Information, Communication, and Culture, Che Azemi Haron, when officiating the opening of the event at the Seminar Hall of the School of Computing, UUM, said that ICT was fast becoming integral to every aspect of the world of work, practically paralleling the pivotal importance of the economic factor in the advancement of a developing nation.
He said that many countries around the world were now facing a dearth of suitably qualified personnel in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering, and computing. In consequence, he said, to meet the increasing demand for such personnel in the workforce, big corporations were vying with each other in the recruitment of qualified women in this sector.
"This fortuitous phenomenon has presented highly qualified women in the technical field the golden opportunity to carve for themselves a place in the sun in terms of their career development and prospects. At present, at the global level, there is a need for an estimated two million ICT professionals. This huge imbalance in the supply-demand dynamic of this field is largely due to the glaring want of awareness among students, teachers, and parents concerning career prospects in this area,” he averred.In light of this, he hoped that ITU’s ‘Girls in ICT Day’ programme would be duly appreciated as another invaluable contribution by ITU-UUM to the nation by way of raising consciousness among the people concerning the importance of ICT to national development, cautioning them against ICT abuses, and educating them about the rapid advancements and career prospects in this field.
MMU Eyes Future in Nanotechnology
Scouting for a degree Programme Leaving school after it may be a daunting experience for Most school leavers.
There are many considerations weighing That need, including the growth of the industry Selected Potential and cost of the Programme pursued as Decisions made cans make or break one's Career path of economic downturn in events or business uncertainties.
But there is one industry That is on the rise in Malaysia. It is none other than Nanotechnology. School leavers or Any Candidates Considering the engineering Programme Nanotechnology alternative cans.
Although the field is still in its infancy, there is Growing interest and expenditure in it.
Multimedia University (MMU) vice-president of Academic, Associate Professor Wong Eng Kiong says: "We are seeing a slow but steady Increase in Enrolment in our Nanotechnology Programme Because of the government's Emphasis under the 9th Malaysia Plan."
Under the 9MP, RM124.3 million has Been allocated for the Nanotechnology industry. The inauguration of the Malaysia Nanotechnology Association (MNA), governmental support for Nanotechnology is at an all-time high as the technology cans revolutionise the entire manufacturing industry.
One way this is achieved is by generating new TYPES of Nanomaterials, applicable in the metal, chemical and nanoelectronics industries. Other industries benefit That cans are automotive, pharmaceuticals and health sciences, as well as information technology.
Realising the Potential huge in store for the industry, recently launched its MMU Bachelor of Electronics Engineering (Hons) majoring in Nanotechnology. It is the first of Nanotechnology Azizuzanadi courses to be offered in the country.
"Nanotechnology Programme This is a true landmark offerings," says Wong.
Previously he said, Those who wished to Pursue a Career on Nanotechnology must go Overseas.
"Now, you're free to join as an Undergraduate and be part of a growth industry."
He adds That the Career prospect for a nanotechnologist is quite Healthy and Promising.
He adds That the past FEW years not have seen an Increase in Enrolment mechanical engineering, due to the manufacturing industry in the country. Telecommunications engineering Remains also rates a popular choice.
MMU is one of the very FEW Institutions in the country's offerings Undergraduate Programme in Nanotechnology
Intakes are open this month in the fields of engineering, IT, management and creative multimedia.
There are many considerations weighing That need, including the growth of the industry Selected Potential and cost of the Programme pursued as Decisions made cans make or break one's Career path of economic downturn in events or business uncertainties.
But there is one industry That is on the rise in Malaysia. It is none other than Nanotechnology. School leavers or Any Candidates Considering the engineering Programme Nanotechnology alternative cans.
Although the field is still in its infancy, there is Growing interest and expenditure in it.
Multimedia University (MMU) vice-president of Academic, Associate Professor Wong Eng Kiong says: "We are seeing a slow but steady Increase in Enrolment in our Nanotechnology Programme Because of the government's Emphasis under the 9th Malaysia Plan."
Under the 9MP, RM124.3 million has Been allocated for the Nanotechnology industry. The inauguration of the Malaysia Nanotechnology Association (MNA), governmental support for Nanotechnology is at an all-time high as the technology cans revolutionise the entire manufacturing industry.
One way this is achieved is by generating new TYPES of Nanomaterials, applicable in the metal, chemical and nanoelectronics industries. Other industries benefit That cans are automotive, pharmaceuticals and health sciences, as well as information technology.
Realising the Potential huge in store for the industry, recently launched its MMU Bachelor of Electronics Engineering (Hons) majoring in Nanotechnology. It is the first of Nanotechnology Azizuzanadi courses to be offered in the country.
"Nanotechnology Programme This is a true landmark offerings," says Wong.
Previously he said, Those who wished to Pursue a Career on Nanotechnology must go Overseas.
"Now, you're free to join as an Undergraduate and be part of a growth industry."
He adds That the Career prospect for a nanotechnologist is quite Healthy and Promising.
He adds That the past FEW years not have seen an Increase in Enrolment mechanical engineering, due to the manufacturing industry in the country. Telecommunications engineering Remains also rates a popular choice.
MMU is one of the very FEW Institutions in the country's offerings Undergraduate Programme in Nanotechnology
Intakes are open this month in the fields of engineering, IT, management and creative multimedia.
Pelancaran UM E-journal Management System
KUALA LUMPUR, 27 JULAI 2012 - SELARAS dengan aspirasi Universiti Malaya dalam penghasilan jurnal mengikut piawaian antarabangsa, pihak pengurusan UM dengan kerjasama Pusat Teknologi Maklumat melancarkan sistem pengurusan jurnal yang lebih sistematik dan mengikut piawai antarabangsa - E-journal Management System – dalam satu majlis ringkas di Bilik Court, UM semalam.
“E-journal sudah lama wujud di UM tetapi usaha untuk menggerakkannya tidak dilakukan secara bersepadu,”kata Timbalan Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan & Inovasi), Profesor Dr. Hamzah Abdul Rahman sejurus berakhirnya majlis pelancaran.
“Kelemahannya adalah e-journal tidak mengikut standard yang diamalkan seperti sistem pengurusan journal lain seperti SCORPUS dan ISI. Justeru sistem pengurusan E-journal Management System yang dilancarkan hari ini lebih sistematik dan mengikut piawai antarabangsa.
“Sebelum ini, pihak fakulti mempunyai pilihan sama ada untuk menyenaraikan jurnal mereka dalam E-journal tetapi dengan pengenalan E-journal Management System, kami mewajibkan kesemua fakuti untuk menggunakannya kerana ia adalah mirip sistem klasifikasi jurnal lain seperti ScholarOne milik Thomson Reuters.
“Sistem ini (ScholarOne) adalah bagus dan kami pernah terfikir untuk melanggan sistem ini tetapi tidak berbuat demikian kerana kekangan kewangan.
“Oleh itu, kami mengambil alternatif untuk mewujudkan sistem kami sendiri yang boleh diakses oleh warga kampus dan luar,” tambah Dr. Hamzah.
SOURCE / AUTHOR : UM Official Website
UTAR joins YTL Communications’ Education Partner Program
Petaling Jaya, 27 July 2010 – Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) joined YTL Communications Sdn Bhd (YTL Comms)’s Education Partner Program (EPP) today and signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to jointly deploy a campus-wide 4G network at the UTAR flagship campus in Kampar, Perak. Subsequently, similar deployments will be carried out at all UTAR campuses at Setapak, Sungai Long, and Petaling Jaya.
This marks another major milestone in the extensive EPP project spearheaded by YTL Comms to bring 4G converged service, offering data, voice and mobility to all public and main private universities in Malaysia. UTAR is the first private university to join EPP with UTM as the first public institution of higher learning we signed up earlier.
“We believe that being part of EPP will transform the way of life on our campuses. 4G Mobile Internet will provide new levels of interactivity among students and faculty personnel. Also, being a university that delves in extensive research work we are happy with the new innovative functions and capabilities our researchers will have access to with 4G Mobile Internet,” said Ir. Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah Hean Teik, President of UTAR.
According to Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah, this partnership will empower 12,000 students in the UTAR Kampar campus, and another estimated 7,000 students in all of the UTAR campuses around the Klang Valley, with enhanced accessibility to both Intranet and Internet facilities throughout the campus grounds.
Under the EPP, all UTAR students will enjoy high-speed, wireless broadband access at anytime and from anywhere within the campuses. Every student will get converged data and voice services totalling 300 Megabytes per user, per month for a period of 3 years.
“As we bring our 4G network capabilities to all Malaysians, it is crucial that we give special consideration to our university students, the pillar of our future. Therefore we are very pleased that UTAR has joined our EPP. We will be working closely together to foster a new generation of progressive, tech savvy and innovative students that are able to create a positive impact to the development of the nation,” said Wing K Lee, CEO of YTL Comms. “Malaysian students are among the first, if not the first in the world to have such pervasive use of the most advanced Internet technology today”.
“Students are constantly moving, always communicating on-the-go, and have this endless need for information to supplement their studies, course-works, and daily lives. Wherever the student sits or ride is a potential seat for learning and development. While on campus, they can open their laptops and immediately connect to the world – anywhere, anytime,” Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah explained.
Once the infrastructure is up and running, UTAR will be working closely with YTL Comms to nurture the development of Internet applications in the university’s technology degree courses.
“We plan to make YTL Comms’ 4G Mobile Internet the foundation in our center of excellence for the 4G network applications and devices our students are developing. On the Kampar campus alone, we have an immediate sample size of 12,000 users to carry out our research on the 4G network in our efforts to further advance the telecommunications engineering courses”, elaborated Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah.
Present to witness the signing ceremony was Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik, Chairman of the UTAR Council, members of the UTAR council, Professor Dr. Lee Sze Wei, Vice President (R & D and Commercialisation), UTAR, Jacob Yeoh, Executive Director of YTL Comms, and the senior management of YTL Comms.
http://www.ytlcomms.my/EN/news_details.aspx?id=23
This marks another major milestone in the extensive EPP project spearheaded by YTL Comms to bring 4G converged service, offering data, voice and mobility to all public and main private universities in Malaysia. UTAR is the first private university to join EPP with UTM as the first public institution of higher learning we signed up earlier.
“We believe that being part of EPP will transform the way of life on our campuses. 4G Mobile Internet will provide new levels of interactivity among students and faculty personnel. Also, being a university that delves in extensive research work we are happy with the new innovative functions and capabilities our researchers will have access to with 4G Mobile Internet,” said Ir. Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah Hean Teik, President of UTAR.
According to Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah, this partnership will empower 12,000 students in the UTAR Kampar campus, and another estimated 7,000 students in all of the UTAR campuses around the Klang Valley, with enhanced accessibility to both Intranet and Internet facilities throughout the campus grounds.
Under the EPP, all UTAR students will enjoy high-speed, wireless broadband access at anytime and from anywhere within the campuses. Every student will get converged data and voice services totalling 300 Megabytes per user, per month for a period of 3 years.
“As we bring our 4G network capabilities to all Malaysians, it is crucial that we give special consideration to our university students, the pillar of our future. Therefore we are very pleased that UTAR has joined our EPP. We will be working closely together to foster a new generation of progressive, tech savvy and innovative students that are able to create a positive impact to the development of the nation,” said Wing K Lee, CEO of YTL Comms. “Malaysian students are among the first, if not the first in the world to have such pervasive use of the most advanced Internet technology today”.
“Students are constantly moving, always communicating on-the-go, and have this endless need for information to supplement their studies, course-works, and daily lives. Wherever the student sits or ride is a potential seat for learning and development. While on campus, they can open their laptops and immediately connect to the world – anywhere, anytime,” Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah explained.
Once the infrastructure is up and running, UTAR will be working closely with YTL Comms to nurture the development of Internet applications in the university’s technology degree courses.
“We plan to make YTL Comms’ 4G Mobile Internet the foundation in our center of excellence for the 4G network applications and devices our students are developing. On the Kampar campus alone, we have an immediate sample size of 12,000 users to carry out our research on the 4G network in our efforts to further advance the telecommunications engineering courses”, elaborated Professor Dato’ Dr. Chuah.
Present to witness the signing ceremony was Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik, Chairman of the UTAR Council, members of the UTAR council, Professor Dr. Lee Sze Wei, Vice President (R & D and Commercialisation), UTAR, Jacob Yeoh, Executive Director of YTL Comms, and the senior management of YTL Comms.
http://www.ytlcomms.my/EN/news_details.aspx?id=23
Microsoft and Basis Bay Educate IT Students on Cloud Technology and Green IT
Taylor’s University continues their efforts in bringing industry experts to campus, and this can be seen as there were 2 expert series lectures organized by Taylor’s School of Computing and Information Technology.
Dr Dzaharudin Mansor, National Technology Officer in Microsoft Malaysia, brought to students the latest development in Cloud technology, which not only bring about economic benefits to private organisations but also to the government sector as well.
In his forum held on 9 May 2012, Dr. Dzaharudin highlighted that 70% of IT budgets in organisations are spent to maintain inflexible and silo-ed date centre equipment. The advancement of cloud technology provides business agility, better efficiency, and also enterprise world class computing, made affordable for small and medium companies.
Companies or applications which has benefited from cloud technologies include Gmail, Hotmail, and also Dropbox. Harvey Norman, the household services manufacturing giant, also did a web store scalable campaign using cloud services for rapid distributor response. The students learnt that cloud computing is a technological evolution and an efficient economic revolution, which will see many companies and organisations adapting this system into their frame works in the near future.
Another expert who had visited Taylor’s to give a talk on Green IT was Mr Akhil Gupta, Director of Corporate Services, Basis Bay. GreenIT has gained popularity in the IT industry ever since concern on the stability of the environment has increased. Mr Gupta mentioned that the foundation of Green IT lies on the triple bottom line pillar foundation which is the “People, Planet and Profit”. Briefly, this concept talks about the balance between fair labor practices , governance of waste disposal of the planet and also how profit can be achieved by controlling energy usage, which reduces the impact on the environment.
The Basis Bay green IT holistic approach includes smart procurement , extending product life cycle, green data centers , It infrastructure optimization and best practices. The speaker discussed in detail on an example of why computer hardware procurement is best done when the value of the hardware and probability of failure is low. He also went on to discuss on how the data centers are managed with maximum energy efficiency by controlling its electrical or other sources of power consumption.
Basis Bay constantly educates their customers, vendors and suppliers on the best practices of Green IT by participating in public awareness programs, and adoption of practices internally via the Awareness Initiative Management initiated in Basis Bay. Mr.Akhil Gupta ended the talk by stating the future direction of GreenIT as well as its direction in the coming years.
Mr Akhil Gupta has been in the industry for many years, previously being attached with companies such as Kelly Services, Spectra Net Ltd and Whirlpool. With Basis Bay, his duties include managing the company’s corporate services divisions such as human resource, legal, procurement, quality processes and assurance. He is also experienced in customer relationship management, finance operations, process transitioning and implementation, with an in depth understanding of technology and global businesses across APAC.
SOURCE / AUTHOR : Taylor's University Official Website
Dr Dzaharudin Mansor, National Technology Officer in Microsoft Malaysia, brought to students the latest development in Cloud technology, which not only bring about economic benefits to private organisations but also to the government sector as well.
In his forum held on 9 May 2012, Dr. Dzaharudin highlighted that 70% of IT budgets in organisations are spent to maintain inflexible and silo-ed date centre equipment. The advancement of cloud technology provides business agility, better efficiency, and also enterprise world class computing, made affordable for small and medium companies.
Companies or applications which has benefited from cloud technologies include Gmail, Hotmail, and also Dropbox. Harvey Norman, the household services manufacturing giant, also did a web store scalable campaign using cloud services for rapid distributor response. The students learnt that cloud computing is a technological evolution and an efficient economic revolution, which will see many companies and organisations adapting this system into their frame works in the near future.
Another expert who had visited Taylor’s to give a talk on Green IT was Mr Akhil Gupta, Director of Corporate Services, Basis Bay. GreenIT has gained popularity in the IT industry ever since concern on the stability of the environment has increased. Mr Gupta mentioned that the foundation of Green IT lies on the triple bottom line pillar foundation which is the “People, Planet and Profit”. Briefly, this concept talks about the balance between fair labor practices , governance of waste disposal of the planet and also how profit can be achieved by controlling energy usage, which reduces the impact on the environment.
The Basis Bay green IT holistic approach includes smart procurement , extending product life cycle, green data centers , It infrastructure optimization and best practices. The speaker discussed in detail on an example of why computer hardware procurement is best done when the value of the hardware and probability of failure is low. He also went on to discuss on how the data centers are managed with maximum energy efficiency by controlling its electrical or other sources of power consumption.
Basis Bay constantly educates their customers, vendors and suppliers on the best practices of Green IT by participating in public awareness programs, and adoption of practices internally via the Awareness Initiative Management initiated in Basis Bay. Mr.Akhil Gupta ended the talk by stating the future direction of GreenIT as well as its direction in the coming years.
Mr Akhil Gupta has been in the industry for many years, previously being attached with companies such as Kelly Services, Spectra Net Ltd and Whirlpool. With Basis Bay, his duties include managing the company’s corporate services divisions such as human resource, legal, procurement, quality processes and assurance. He is also experienced in customer relationship management, finance operations, process transitioning and implementation, with an in depth understanding of technology and global businesses across APAC.
SOURCE / AUTHOR : Taylor's University Official Website
Friday, 3 August 2012
Petronas to provide spa facilities at stations
KUALA LUMPUR: Petronas Dagangan Bhd plans to open 30 auto spa facilities at selected service stations this year.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Amir Hamzah Azizan said the company started the service late last year and to date, it had opened six spas in the Klang Valley."Given the favourable response, we will definitely be extending this service to the rest of our Petronas stations in stages over the next few years," he said.
Speaking to reporters after the launch of Petronas Durance car care products and air fresheners here today, he said the new spas would be in selected major areas especially the Klang Valley, Johor Baharu, Penang and Kerteh.
"For this new service, it will not require a major investment from us," he said.
On Petronas Durance, Amir Hamzah said Petronas Dagangan would focus on promoting the products through its 972 service stations nationwide this year, and make it available at retail stores and hypermarkets in major cities later.
Developed by Petronas Dagangan's Italy-based sister company, Petronas Lubricants International, Petronas Durance has a range of products engineered to deliver international quality standards and protect both interior and exterior of vehicles.
Meanwhile, Amir Hamzah said Petronas Dagangan would open about 67 new service stations nationwide by year end. -- BERNAMA
Right decisions vital for Proton: Mahaleel
KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd has everything to become profitable and successful if DRB-Hicom Bhd takes the right business decisions, former chief of the national car maker, Tengku Tan Sri Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, said.
He said placing the right person to lead the company will be very important to drive Proton back to glory.Any business can be transformed in a positive or negative manner, depending on decisions taken by the management, Tengku Mahaleel, who spent eight years as Proton's Chief Executive Officer, told Bernama in an interview.
"In any business it is very fundamental that you put the right guy in the right place.
"Look at (Tan Sri) Tony Fernandes, how he brought AirAsia to glory and Celcom. It is all about people. Companies never compete against each other.
"It is only human beings who compete. In that case, we need good and suitable brains to face the competition out there," he said.
Tengku Mahaleel said it is now up to DRB-Hicom to decide on the most suitable person to run the company.
In January, state asset manager Khazanah Nasional Bhd announced the sale of its 42.74 per cent stake in Proton to DRB-Hicom for RM1.291 billion.
The sale was concluded in March and DRB-Hicom appointed its Managing Director Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil as Proton Executive Chairman and Executive Director, replacing Datuk Seri Nadzmi Salleh, who tendered his resignation days after the completion of the deal.
Late last month, the national auto maker announced that Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir and Azhar Othman have opted to resign as Group Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively, in July this year.
It is widely believed that DRB-Hicom Chief Operating Officer Datuk Lukman Ibrahim is poised to take over from Syed Zainal.
Asked on the capability of DRB-Hicom to drive Proton to future glory, Tengku Mahaleel said: "I cannot comment on DRB-Hicom or the decisions that they have taken because I have never worked with them. I am not sure what their business style is."
In a related development, he said the global car industry is very fluid with many drivers of change, adding the industry is playing in the upper segment, comprising people who can buy cars.
"But that market is only 600 million people globally. On the flip side, people without cars is about two billion people.
"That is why Tata Motors in India came out with Tata Nano cars. It is affordable. Proton can also look into this area," he said.
Tengku Mahaleel joined Proton in 1996 as Vice President of Strategy and Operations, and was later promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Proton Holdings Bhd in April 1997. He held the position until September 2005.-- BERNAMA
Tabung Haji likely to declare higher dividends this year
KUALA LUMPUR: Lembaga Tabung Haji (LTH) is well-placed to disburse higher dividends this year to depositors following attractive returns on investments coupled with proceeds from the sale of its stake in a plantation company in Indonesia.
This is a reflection of the national pilgrim fund board's efforts to ensure depositors' capital remains protected while at the same time giving them "handsome" returns, said group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Ismee Ismail.
He told Bernama in an interview recently that LTH would ensure that any investment made would bear fruit for them and their depositors at the end of the day.
"Last year, we declared six per cent dividend (and) hopefully, this year, we should be able to maintain our performance. We are working very hard to ensure that Tabung Haji depositors' money, the capital, is protected and for them to get a decent return for their savings," he said.
As of February 2012, there were 6.9 million depositors in Tabung Haji.
The higher returns on investment have allowed LTH to continue to absorb some of the pilgrimage cost for Malaysians that continues to rise every year due to different external factors, Ismee said.
"Alhamdulillah, in the past few years, we have been subsidising haj pilgrims. We have been able to do it because of the good returns from our investments," he said.
This year, he said, the subsidy per person has risen to RM5,175 from RM4,320 last year due to the rise in accommodation, transportation and related costs, yet LTH depositors on their first pilgrimage are charged RM9,980 for the haj package, a rate that has not changed since 2009.
"In the haj training course, we always inform them: if you are a first-timer and going under muassasah (normal package service), this is how much Tabung Haji supports. In a way, our higher returns on investments directly benefit intending haj pilgrims," he said.
He said the fund board's real estate investments in Mecca are also a long- term strategy to reduce pilgrimage cost as it can use the returns on investments as cross subsidy.
On the RM3 billion proposed sale of its 95 per cent stake in PT TH Indo Plantations, Ismee said the buyer has been given until the end of August to complete the due diligence process.
"Of course, with the sale, this is going to be an exceptional item for the year and of course, we will be making a handsome profit from this transaction. We are going to declare as dividends to depositors, (definitely) it will translate to higher dividends," he said.
LTH first bought the stake in 1997 for between RM800 million to RM1 billion.
The Indonesian unit has 83,879 hectares of plantation land in Riau, Sumatra, out of LTH's total landbank of 210,000 hectares.
Through the proceeds, LTH is planning to increase its interest in plantations and is looking at Malaysia and Indonesia for possible new investments.
"Th plantation sector is one of LTH's main areas of continued involvement. From here we will look at opportunities to re-invest in new areas offering better returns," he said.
"Increasing the landbank will be done over the next few years. We will continue to look at Malaysia and Indonesia because we are here to stay in the plantation sector.
"We have the know-how, the expertise and the team. We should just expand on this experience, for us to be a bigger player in the future," Ismee said, adding that LTH's unit, TH Plantations Bhd, will be the flagship in the plantation sector.
The pilgrimage fund also has another six wholly-owned subsidiaries in the plantation sector -- TH Agro Sdn Bhd, TH Bakti Sdn Bhd, TH Estates (Holding) Sdn Bhd, TH Indo Industries Sdn Bhd and TH Ladang (Sabah & Sarawak) Sdn Bhd. -- BERNAMA
Thursday, 19 July 2012
New ICT mall for Kuala Lumpur
THE National ICT Association of Malaysia (Pikom) will be launching its first ever Pikom ICT Mall at CapSquare Kuala Lumpur on May 27.
Bandar Raya Developments Berhad (BRBD) group retail operations head John Sironic said, “This is the only ICT mall which has a theatre.
“We also have our own parking lot which can hold up to 2,000 cars.”
Tech stuff: Lenovo is one of the flagship stores at Pikom ICT Mall. The CapSquare mall was opened in November 2007. However, due to its lack of success, BRBD joined forces with Pikom to create what is now known as the Pikom ICT Mall CapSquare, which has been renovated since October last year.
The mall has 102 kiosks taken up by a variety of companies.
Among them are Canon, iStudy by Apple, Lenovo’s concept and flagship store and telcos Digi and Maxis. The i-Xperience, the first-ever concept store for Imation, TDK and Memorex Worldwide is also located in the mall.
Tech stores aside, the mall will also have food and beverage outlets such as Starbucks, Modesto’s and Subway, as well as a gym and a supermarket.
“Pikom ICT Mall will be selling only certified original products with guaranteed after-sales service. Though this is a premium mall, there will be special offers to ensure that customers get value-for-money products,” Sironic said.
Spanking new: Pikom secretary chairman C.S. Chin (left) and Sironic (right) in front of the new Pikom ICT Mall at CapSquare, Kuala Various activities have been lined up for the grand launch. Top on the list is the screening of sci-fi movies such as Avatar, Trans-formers, Star Wars and Real Steel at the outdoor theatre from 8pm onwards, on May 25 and 26.
To pull the crowd further, BRDB has arranged for local celebrity Joey G to play host and performers like Anuar Zain, ManHanD, Instant Cafe Theatre and Upin & Ipin to entertain the guests.
Sci-fi characters like Darth Vader, Tron and Stormtroopers will also make an appearance.
The first 50 customers will receive iStudy’s RM1 deals on accessories. Additionally, the first 100 customers will be given Sennheiser earphones and a goody bag. Visitors can expect a variety of offers and promotions at the complex.
There will be a contest and lucky draw too for Facebook fans and shoppers that purchase products worth RM100 cumulatively or in a single receipt between now and May 27.
Some of the prizes include the iPad 3, an Alienware laptio, Macbook Air and more.
published: May 21, 2012
author: Yeoh Yi Shuen
Bandar Raya Developments Berhad (BRBD) group retail operations head John Sironic said, “This is the only ICT mall which has a theatre.
“We also have our own parking lot which can hold up to 2,000 cars.”
Tech stuff: Lenovo is one of the flagship stores at Pikom ICT Mall. The mall has 102 kiosks taken up by a variety of companies.
Among them are Canon, iStudy by Apple, Lenovo’s concept and flagship store and telcos Digi and Maxis. The i-Xperience, the first-ever concept store for Imation, TDK and Memorex Worldwide is also located in the mall.
Tech stores aside, the mall will also have food and beverage outlets such as Starbucks, Modesto’s and Subway, as well as a gym and a supermarket.
“Pikom ICT Mall will be selling only certified original products with guaranteed after-sales service. Though this is a premium mall, there will be special offers to ensure that customers get value-for-money products,” Sironic said.
Spanking new: Pikom secretary chairman C.S. Chin (left) and Sironic (right) in front of the new Pikom ICT Mall at CapSquare, Kuala To pull the crowd further, BRDB has arranged for local celebrity Joey G to play host and performers like Anuar Zain, ManHanD, Instant Cafe Theatre and Upin & Ipin to entertain the guests.
Sci-fi characters like Darth Vader, Tron and Stormtroopers will also make an appearance.
The first 50 customers will receive iStudy’s RM1 deals on accessories. Additionally, the first 100 customers will be given Sennheiser earphones and a goody bag. Visitors can expect a variety of offers and promotions at the complex.
There will be a contest and lucky draw too for Facebook fans and shoppers that purchase products worth RM100 cumulatively or in a single receipt between now and May 27.
Some of the prizes include the iPad 3, an Alienware laptio, Macbook Air and more.
published: May 21, 2012
author: Yeoh Yi Shuen
Malaysia recognised as important ICT practitioner
SINGAPORE: Malaysia is recognised in the region as an important ICT practitioner or player, said Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
"From the communications and broadcasting exhibition held in Singapore today and on other days, we could see that Malaysia's role is recognised by the region as an important practitioner and player in the ICT world.
"We noted that when Singapore's Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, saw Malaysia's development windows, he discovered that our country to be at par with several developing countries in terms of achievements that focus on improving people's lives," he told reporters at CommunicAsia 2012 held here.
"We specifically (through the Malaysia Pavilion) can draw a lot of attention to the communication facilities provided to our villages through the WiFi Village programme.
"So far, 1,400 such villages have been created under the programme with more to be created and we are proud of this," he said.
According to him, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission featured some development and success stories involving the grassroots, like women in the interiors of Sabah and fishermen in many areas able to market their products, hence increasing their income, through the WiFi facility in their villages.
"These are testimony or proof to the outside world and to society at large that ICT in Malayia is linked to development and the people's lives," he said.
Earlier, Rais attended the official opening of CommunicAsia 2012 by Yaacob, where 19 ICT companies including Mimos are participating in the communications and broadcasting exhibition which runs until June 22. - Bernama
published: June 19, 2010
author: The Stars
"From the communications and broadcasting exhibition held in Singapore today and on other days, we could see that Malaysia's role is recognised by the region as an important practitioner and player in the ICT world.
"We noted that when Singapore's Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, saw Malaysia's development windows, he discovered that our country to be at par with several developing countries in terms of achievements that focus on improving people's lives," he told reporters at CommunicAsia 2012 held here.
"We specifically (through the Malaysia Pavilion) can draw a lot of attention to the communication facilities provided to our villages through the WiFi Village programme.
"So far, 1,400 such villages have been created under the programme with more to be created and we are proud of this," he said.
According to him, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission featured some development and success stories involving the grassroots, like women in the interiors of Sabah and fishermen in many areas able to market their products, hence increasing their income, through the WiFi facility in their villages.
"These are testimony or proof to the outside world and to society at large that ICT in Malayia is linked to development and the people's lives," he said.
Earlier, Rais attended the official opening of CommunicAsia 2012 by Yaacob, where 19 ICT companies including Mimos are participating in the communications and broadcasting exhibition which runs until June 22. - Bernama
published: June 19, 2010
author: The Stars
undergraduate focus industry collaborations link students to ict resources
IBM, Cisco and SAP are among INTI International University’s list of global IT partners providing students with cutting edge technological know-how and professional certification to ensure high employability upon graduation.
In fulfilling its brand promise to bring industry into the classroom, INTI, through synergistic alliances such as MyUniAlliance with SAP and Software Career Training (SCT) with IBM, has enabled its students to gain access to a wealth of resources, technologies, industry best practices and business solutions.
INTI was one of the first educational institutions in Malaysia to participate in MyUniAlliance, an initiative by Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) to upscale and hone the abilities of undergraduates in ICT. A special hosting service is available to INTI’s students to access SAP systems for hands-on learning under a free software license that will provide knowledge of integrated business processes and industry best practices.
“Graduates need to be knowledgeable about Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, which integrate internal and external management information across organisations. We are very pleased to be in partnership with SAP, the world’s largest ERP solutions provider, to create educational opportunities and promote innovation among our students,” says Professor Walter Wong, Vice-Chancellor of INTI International University.
Professional certification provides INTI students with additional practical skills and knowledge that will give them a competitive edge over their peers. IBM’s SCT programme offers students a combination of technical knowledge, IBM leading technology, industry best practices and personal professional development in one integrated, career-enhancing learning experience.
Graduates will acquire a high quality and recognised Malaysian qualification from INTI as well as an international IBM professional certification that will give them an edge in job interviews and employment.
INTI has also worked alongside Cisco Networking Academy for many years. By incorporating the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and CCNA wireless syllabus into its Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Network & Mobile Computing programme, INTI ensures that students develop the skills to design and manage medium-sized networks. The partnership also presents a pathway to professional certification in CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) and CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert).
The INTI curriculum emphasises the all-rounded development of a student’s cognitive and practical skills. Close collaboration with the industry ensures that the curriculum developed is relevant to the market’s needs, and more importantly, focuses on soft skills such as project management, team work, and proposals among others, which are essential skills when entering the work force.
Students of INTI benefit not only from the institution’s more than 25 years of experience and strong track-record, but also gain from the global synergy and resources that Laureate International Universities provides. Laureate – the world’s largest private education network – has a presence in 29 countries, with more than 60 accredited universities and 130 campuses, serving more than 675,000 students globally.
published: May 30, 2012
author: New Straits Times
A boost for ICT training
CYBERJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has opened the first Huawei global training centre outside China that will put Malaysia on the world map of ICT players.
The Huawei Malaysia Global Training centre here is aimed at positioning Malaysia as the venue for global professional training in the next generation of ICT technologies.
The Prime Minister said the facility would provide training to Huawei's global customers from the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
Testing, testing: Najib trying out one of the Huawei smartphones while Huawei country director of consumer business Wong Wey Hwa explains to the Prime Minister its functions in Cyberjaya as Huawei senior vice-president Victor Wang (centre) looks on. “The fact that Huawei chose Malaysia over 140 countries to build this centre is a great honour,” he said.
“But I would like to think that it is a reflection of the increasingly important role we play in the global marketplace.
“All these initiatives by Huawei are expected to contribute a total of RM1.2bil in gross national income by 2020,” he said here yesterday.
Huawei is a leading global ICT solutions provider with about 150,000 employees and its revenue last year stood at US$35bil (RM111bil). Among its clients are 45 of the world's top 50 telecommunication operators.
Najib said Malaysia was entering a crucial phase of transformation where the challenges did not get any easier as it aimed to become a developed nation by 2020.
“That is why, in making that final push, Malaysia must make every effort to cultivate a knowledge-intensive and innovation-led economy
“To this end, I introduced the Economic Transformation Prog-ramme which identifies 12 key areas with the potential to drive economic growth and 131 Entry Point Projects to kick-start development across those sectors.
“The ETP's aim is simple: To drive growth, investment and create jobs without neglecting to take into account the complexity of modern economy and, in particular, the fact that digital technology continues to exert an increasing influence in every aspect of our lives from business and entertainment to communications, content and infrastructure,” he said.
Najib added that the digital economy now accounted for more than a third of global trade while total worldwide ICT spending was expected to grow by 3.7% to US$3.8tril (RM12.1tril) this year.
published: June 15, 2012
author: Zuhrin Azam Ahmad
The Huawei Malaysia Global Training centre here is aimed at positioning Malaysia as the venue for global professional training in the next generation of ICT technologies.
The Prime Minister said the facility would provide training to Huawei's global customers from the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
Testing, testing: Najib trying out one of the Huawei smartphones while Huawei country director of consumer business Wong Wey Hwa explains to the Prime Minister its functions in Cyberjaya as Huawei senior vice-president Victor Wang (centre) looks on. “But I would like to think that it is a reflection of the increasingly important role we play in the global marketplace.
“All these initiatives by Huawei are expected to contribute a total of RM1.2bil in gross national income by 2020,” he said here yesterday.
Huawei is a leading global ICT solutions provider with about 150,000 employees and its revenue last year stood at US$35bil (RM111bil). Among its clients are 45 of the world's top 50 telecommunication operators.
Najib said Malaysia was entering a crucial phase of transformation where the challenges did not get any easier as it aimed to become a developed nation by 2020.
“That is why, in making that final push, Malaysia must make every effort to cultivate a knowledge-intensive and innovation-led economy
“To this end, I introduced the Economic Transformation Prog-ramme which identifies 12 key areas with the potential to drive economic growth and 131 Entry Point Projects to kick-start development across those sectors.
“The ETP's aim is simple: To drive growth, investment and create jobs without neglecting to take into account the complexity of modern economy and, in particular, the fact that digital technology continues to exert an increasing influence in every aspect of our lives from business and entertainment to communications, content and infrastructure,” he said.
Najib added that the digital economy now accounted for more than a third of global trade while total worldwide ICT spending was expected to grow by 3.7% to US$3.8tril (RM12.1tril) this year.
published: June 15, 2012
author: Zuhrin Azam Ahmad
Malaysian ICT firms net RM61.2m sales
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian ICT companies recorded RM61.2 million potential sales at the Specialised Marketing Mission on ICT Related Services to Jakarta last week.
Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) said Malaysian participants received encouraging response during the mission."The RM61.2 million generated clearly showed Malaysian software and ICT- related services are of good quality and compatible for international requirements.
"One of the participants had signed a memorandum of understanding with two Indonesian companies for commercialisation and distribution of Math Quest games applications and components, including comic strips, mini-games installation, animation and bedtime stories in the South East Asia region.
"The collaboration is expected to generate over RM1.5 million revenue a year," the trade and investment promotion agency said in a statement.
Thirty-five senior officials from 18 companies and organisations were in the five-day mission from April 23. -- BERNAMA
Human-rights awareness test for blogs
JAKARTA: The Indonesian Media Defense Litigation Network (IMDLN) will hand out human rights-themed blogging awards (IHRBA) aimed at encouraging bloggers to write more about the issue.
IMDLN secretary Wahyudi Djafar said on Sunday that the competition was also aimed at encouraging bloggers from various backgrounds to help promote human rights.
“All this time, human rights campaigns are done mostly by activists, intellectuals or journalists, with most of the issues brought up were either too instrumentalist or concerned only with gross human-rights violations, like murders or physical abuse,” he said.
As a result, Djafar said that human right issues were beyond the grasp of ordinary citizens.
He also said that there was so much more to talk about in terms of the issue.
“Human rights also deal with smaller issues such as the rights of pedestrians to use sidewalks,” he said.
Online registration for the competition has been opened to the public since Feb. 27 at hamblogger.org, and will wrap up on May 31.
Indonesia has the largest number of Internet users in Southeast Asia and is ranked 8th in the world, according to data from the Internet World Stat.
There are more than 55 million people who have access to the Internet in Indonesia as of Dec. 31, 2011.
At the present, participants have registered 45 blogs, with total 125 articles, on the IHRBA competition website.
Winners of the competition will be announced on June 29.
Some of judges include Public Interest Lawyer Network (PIL-NET) coordinator Wahyu Wagiman, Information and Communication Technology Watch (ICT Watch) chairman Donny Budi Utoyo, Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) chairman Indriaswati D. Saptaningrum and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) chairman Ifdhal Kasim.
published: May 07, 2012
author: The Jakarta Post
IMDLN secretary Wahyudi Djafar said on Sunday that the competition was also aimed at encouraging bloggers from various backgrounds to help promote human rights.
“All this time, human rights campaigns are done mostly by activists, intellectuals or journalists, with most of the issues brought up were either too instrumentalist or concerned only with gross human-rights violations, like murders or physical abuse,” he said.
As a result, Djafar said that human right issues were beyond the grasp of ordinary citizens.
He also said that there was so much more to talk about in terms of the issue.
“Human rights also deal with smaller issues such as the rights of pedestrians to use sidewalks,” he said.
Online registration for the competition has been opened to the public since Feb. 27 at hamblogger.org, and will wrap up on May 31.
Indonesia has the largest number of Internet users in Southeast Asia and is ranked 8th in the world, according to data from the Internet World Stat.
There are more than 55 million people who have access to the Internet in Indonesia as of Dec. 31, 2011.
At the present, participants have registered 45 blogs, with total 125 articles, on the IHRBA competition website.
Winners of the competition will be announced on June 29.
Some of judges include Public Interest Lawyer Network (PIL-NET) coordinator Wahyu Wagiman, Information and Communication Technology Watch (ICT Watch) chairman Donny Budi Utoyo, Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) chairman Indriaswati D. Saptaningrum and the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) chairman Ifdhal Kasim.
published: May 07, 2012
author: The Jakarta Post
Indonesia's Telkom Launches New Internet-Based TV Service 'Groovia TV'
Indonesia's largest phone operator Telkom launched a new Internet-based television service on Thursday that allows viewers to pause and rewind television shows and features an online library of videos, games and karaoke songs.
Telkom announced Groovia TV — and the cheaper Groovie Lite — at the ICT Expo 2012 in the Jakarta Convention Center.
“Groovia TV has pause and rewind capabilities, and users can access karaoke on demand with millions of songs saved in our server,” a Telkom salesman said in Telkom’s booth in the ICT expo, as quoted by republika.co.id.
Groovia TV is the second interactive television service announced for the Indonesian market.
Samsung Electronics Indonesia launched its own Smart TV service late last month. Samsung's television offers viewers access to a similar online library of content, but also features voice activated controls some 10,000 apps.
published: May 03, 2012
author: The Jakarta Globe
Telkom announced Groovia TV — and the cheaper Groovie Lite — at the ICT Expo 2012 in the Jakarta Convention Center.
“Groovia TV has pause and rewind capabilities, and users can access karaoke on demand with millions of songs saved in our server,” a Telkom salesman said in Telkom’s booth in the ICT expo, as quoted by republika.co.id.
Groovia TV is the second interactive television service announced for the Indonesian market.
Samsung Electronics Indonesia launched its own Smart TV service late last month. Samsung's television offers viewers access to a similar online library of content, but also features voice activated controls some 10,000 apps.
published: May 03, 2012
author: The Jakarta Globe
ADB meeting ends with vow to create regional IT strategy
HONOLULU (Kyodo) The Asian Development Bank will map out an information and communication technology (ICT) strategy in its effort to help developing member countries reap the benefits of economic globalization, ADB President Tadao Chino said Friday.
Chino also urged the ADB's 59 member countries to maintain the momentum of economic structural reform, to achieve sustainable economic growth amid the global slowdown.
The ADB's forthcoming ICT strategy "could help them (developing member economies) respond to globalization," Chino said in a closing address at the ADB's 34th annual meeting.
ADB officials said the strategy will likely be announced within months.
Measures to deal with globalization dominated the agenda of the three-day annual gathering.
Chino said globalization opens up opportunities for developing countries, but also involves risks. "The real challenge is to maximize its benefits while minimizing risks," he said.
Chino told a news conference held later in the day, "Many governors stressed the importance of ICT for further development of Asia-Pacific developing countries."
For the ADB's effort to promote ICT in the region, Japan pledged during the gathering it will contribute 1.27 billion yen for the ICT development in the region.
The ADB's board of governors will embark on the task of setting up an ICT Fund within the organization, which will form a major component of the bank's ICT strategy.
Japanese officials said the fund will be formally approved within months, and will be expanded if other countries decide to make contributions.
While expressing confidence in the outlook of the Asian economy, Chino urged the ADB's member countries to further promote economic structural reform to achieve robust growth.
"Governors observed that the economic recovery of the region is continuing. Indeed, it has once again become the fastest-growing region in the world," Chino said in the closing remarks.
"However, the reform process still has some way to go if the recovery is to be sustained, particularly in view of the expected slowdown in the world economy," he said.
The ADB projects Asian economic growth will slow to 5.3 percent this year, down from 7.1 percent last year, on lower demand for exports, but forecasts a rebound to 6.1 percent in 2002.
Meanwhile, Chino told journalists that poverty reduction remains a pillar of the Manila-based ADB, and that the lending institution's board of governors "fully endorsed" the ADB's poverty-reduction strategies.
During the gathering, Japan pledged an additional 7.9 billion yen for the ADB's Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.
As for North Korea's entry into the ADB, Chino indicated that progress has been slow.
Chino said the ADB received last August a letter from North Korea, citing its intention to become an ADB member.
He said the ADB "immediately notified our member countries" because a consensus is necessary for the approval.
"We are still waiting for responses from the member countries," Chino said.
South Korea on Thursday reiterated its call to integrate North Korea into the global economy through accession to international financial institutions such as the ADB.
However, North Korea's membership appears a long way off, because Japan and the United States, the largest shareholders in the ADB, have been reluctant to see Pyongyang obtain membership.
During the annual gathering, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China, Japan and South Korea announced a currency swap plan, a major step forward toward further strengthening regional cooperation for greater prosperity.
Japan confirmed bilateral swap agreements with Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia.
Japan said it is also negotiating swap arrangements with China and the Philippines, while South Korea said it is discussing the plan with Thailand and China. China, meanwhile, said it is negotiating with Thailand.
published: May 13 ,2001
author: The Japan Times
Educomp bags Rs 209 crore order from Assam government
NEW DELHI: Education solutions provider Educomp said its ICT division, Edureach has bagged an order worth Rs 209 crore from the Assam government under the ICT@Schools project.
Educomp signed the agreement with Assam Electronics Development Corporation Ltd, Government of Assam on March 23, 2012 for the implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Computer Education Programme (RGCEP), Educomp said in a statement.
RGCEP reaches 1,054 government high and higher secondary schools in the state and over 6.5 lakh students are expected to benefit from this programme every year, it added.
Educomp said with the addition of 1,054 government schools in Assam, the company now reaches a total of 12,176 government schools across 10 states, serving over 6.7 million students.
The project will be implemented under Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model for a period of five years.
Educomp will provide an IT lab, teachers, annual training workshops, web-based school management and monitoring software, multimedia educational content as per the state board curriculum covering subjects like Mathematics, Social Studies, English and General Science as well as courses on spoken English.
"We are pleased that over 6.5 lakh students in Assam will now have access to computers, computer-aided learning and learning tools which will bring their learning on par with many of their privileged city counterparts," Edureach President Soumya Kanti said.
Till date, Educomp has implemented ICT programmes under the PPP ( Public Private Partnership) model in 36,401 schools across 15 states, the statement said.
published: April 04, 2012
author: PTI, India Times
Educomp signed the agreement with Assam Electronics Development Corporation Ltd, Government of Assam on March 23, 2012 for the implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Computer Education Programme (RGCEP), Educomp said in a statement.
RGCEP reaches 1,054 government high and higher secondary schools in the state and over 6.5 lakh students are expected to benefit from this programme every year, it added.
Educomp said with the addition of 1,054 government schools in Assam, the company now reaches a total of 12,176 government schools across 10 states, serving over 6.7 million students.
The project will be implemented under Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model for a period of five years.
Educomp will provide an IT lab, teachers, annual training workshops, web-based school management and monitoring software, multimedia educational content as per the state board curriculum covering subjects like Mathematics, Social Studies, English and General Science as well as courses on spoken English.
"We are pleased that over 6.5 lakh students in Assam will now have access to computers, computer-aided learning and learning tools which will bring their learning on par with many of their privileged city counterparts," Edureach President Soumya Kanti said.
Till date, Educomp has implemented ICT programmes under the PPP ( Public Private Partnership) model in 36,401 schools across 15 states, the statement said.
published: April 04, 2012
author: PTI, India Times
COMPANY NEWS; ICT, A CALL CENTER OPERATOR, PLANS TO CUT JOBS
The ICT Group, an operator of call centers for large companies, said yesterday that it planned to lay off workers and expected a fourth-quarter loss of 46 cents to 59 cents a share. The company did not say how many jobs it would cut. It will close some call centers in the United States and Europe, moving operations to places with lower labor costs like the Philippines, ICT said. In October, the company forecast net income of 27 cents to 29 cents a share for the quarter. Demand for capacity, which ICT expanded after sales picked up at the beginning of the quarter, slowed in the second half of November, the company said. Stock in ICT, which is based in Newtown, Pa., fell $3.69, to $10.15 a share.
published: DECEMBER 17,2002
author: New York Times
published: DECEMBER 17,2002
author: New York Times
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