Digital Malaysia programme aims to propel the Nation's Digital Economy by 2020

05 July 2012 – A Digital Malaysia programme based on three strategic thrust is introduced to propel the country towards an established digital economy by 2020.

CEO, Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC), Yang Berbahagia Datuk Badlisham Ghazali & Deputy Minister, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Yang Berhormat Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof

YB Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) along with Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) announced the details of this programme in a press event today.

YB Datuk Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof explained in the event that the programme will create an ecosystem that promotes the persuasive use of digital technology in all aspects of the economy to connect communities globally and interact in real time, resulting in increased Gross National Income (GNI), enhanced productivity and improved standard of living.

Under the Digital Malaysia programme, the three key strategic thrusts include moving from supply to demand focus, shifting from consumption to production and evolving from low to high knowledge-add. The implementation of these three strategies would help to nurture a new class of digital-savvy entrepreneurs, youths as well as small medium enterprises (SME).

The goal of Digital Malaysia is to increase the nation’s contribution of ICT to 17% of the GNI and create 160,000 jobs by 2020 with an estimated investment value of RM 31.1 billion generated from a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model. In addition, the programme is expected to contribute one percent to the projected absolute growth of SME contribution to GDP by 2020. Finally, the program is expected to generate additional income of RM 7,000 per year for 350,000 citizens from digital income by 2020.

MAS' mobile app now supports PayPal's payment portal

05 June 2012 – Malaysia Airlines' MHmobile app now accepts PayPal for booking, and PayPal promises to make online booking so easy you can finish it in two clicks. PayPal has also extended their payment portal to the national carrier's mobile site as well.

Malaysia Airlines, Executive Vice President, Marketing & Promotions, Al-Ishsal Ishak (left) with Regional Director, Mobile, PayPal Asia Pacific, Rahul Shingal posing with the new MHmobile app

The app is supported across iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Symbian. So users on these platforms can book their destinations from anywhere in the world, and MAS is hoping to rollout support for seven more currencies soon, so international users can book their destinations as well.

In 2011, MAS' MHmobile app saw an increase of 500% in average daily bookings via the app. MAS' Executive Vice President, Marketing & Promotions, Al-Ishsal Ishak, hopes with PayPal’s payment system that it will 'grow more than 500%'.  

And to commemorate the launch, MAS' mobile app users, who book their tickets from 5th July to 5th October, will be rewarded with 500 Enrich miles per transaction. And within that period, all travellers will be offered promo fares, domestic flights will start as low as RM150 and RM340 for ASEAN destination.

First Look At Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered

First announced at CES 2011, the Nike+ SportWatch GPS has finally landed in Malaysia. Born through collaboration between Nike and TomTom, it is the second stand-alone Nike+ product to be released in our shores after Nike+ SportBand.

As the name implies, the Nike+ SportWatch GPS offers all the goodies that the Nike+ technology is long known for - the ability for runners to record, store and share stats from their runs - with additional help from TomTom’s GPS technology. The watch also works hand-in-hand with the Nike+ shoe sensor (included together with the watch) as well as Polar WearLink+ heart rate transmitter for users that include heart rate monitoring as part of their workout.

Social networks scan for sexual predators, with uneven results

 

SAN FRANCISCO: On March 9 of this year, a piece of Facebook software spotted something suspicious.

A man in his early thirties was chatting about sex with a 13-year-old South Florida girl and planned to meet her after middle-school classes the next day.

Facebook's extensive but little-discussed technology for scanning postings and chats for criminal activity automatically flagged the conversation for employees, who read it and quickly called police.

Officers took control of the teenager's computer and arrested the man the next day, said Special Agent Supervisor Jeffrey Duncan of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The alleged predator has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of soliciting a minor.

"The manner and speed with which they contacted us gave us the ability to respond as soon as possible," said Duncan, one of a half-dozen law enforcement officials interviewed who praised Facebook for triggering inquiries.

Facebook is among the many companies that are embracing a combination of new technologies and human monitoring to thwart sex predators. Such efforts generally start with automated screening for inappropriate language and exchanges of personal information, and extend to using the records of convicted pedophiles' online chats to teach the software what to seek out.

Yet even though defensive techniques are now available and effective they can be expensive. They can also alienate some of a site's target audience - especially teen users who expect more freedom of expression. While many top sites catering to young children are quite vigilant, the same can't be said for the burgeoning array of online options for the 13- to 18-year-old set.

"There are companies out there that are doing a very good job, working within the confines of what they have available," said Brooke Donahue, a supervisory special agent with an FBI team devoted to Internet predators and child pornography. "There are companies out there that are more concerned about profitability."

APP FOR FASTING FOR DIABETICS

 

KEEPING TRACK:  The MSD Mobile App for ISO devices will help Muslims who are diabetic to track their sugar levels during the holy month of Ramadan.
 

HEALTHCARE company MSD has introduced its MSD Mobile Application for iOS devices to help Muslims who are diabetic to track their sugar levels during the holy month of Ramadan. The app will also alert Muslims with type 2 diabetes mellitus if their sugar levels are too high or too low.The data can also be shared with a doctor by showing him or her the app or sending the info via e-mail as a PDF document. The app also has handy facts and tips on how to fast safely during Ramadan, said Ewe Kheng Huat, MSD managing director.

"Last year we introduced The Facts about Fasting during Ramadan booklet and it was very well received. This year we wanted to extend our support by introducing a mobile application," he said.

A Ramadan calendar is also included in the app which will show the times for prayers and breaking fast based on the user's location. This feature will be helpful for those who are travelling during the holy month, said Ewe.

The app, which works on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, also includes a Qibla finder. MSD Mobile Application will be available on the App Store in four countries (Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Britain and United Arab Emirates) and in three languages (English, Bahasa Malaysia and Gulf Arabic).

Malaysia Education Excellence

The Malaysian international education sector has grown tremendously during the past decade and Malaysia is fast becoming a centre of educational excellence in the region. Malaysia currently houses more than 50,000 international students from more than 100 countries and it is proud to be the study destination of choice, offering quality international education at an affordable cost. Besides the relatively low cost of education, many choose to study here because they recognise Malaysia as an ideal gateway to develop their Asian network and relationships. They are also able to learn from Malaysian’s great diversity, rapid economic development and peaceful and harmonious multicultural society!

The country is set to welcome 80,000 international students to study in Malaysia by the year 2010. Higher education opportunities in Malaysia are provided by 20 public universities, 24 polytechnics, 37 public community colleges, 33 private universities, 4 foreign university branch campuses and about 500 private colleges. There are also various other higher educational institutions from the UK, US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany and New Zealand which offer twinning and franchised degree programmes through partnerships with Malaysian colleges and universities.

The 38 international schools (American, Australian and Britishstyled) and 12 expatriate schools which include French, German, Japanese and Taiwanese schools have facilities for students from pre-school to upper secondary levels. They provide parents with many options of pre-tertiary international education at affordable fees.