Sunday, February 17, 2008
GOOGLE Inc, plans to invest in the world’s biggest server farm in Malaysia
Malaysia To Lead On Development Of Knowledge Economic City In Medina, Saudi Arabia
The new development, valued at some SR25 billion, will reportedly create more than 20,000 new jobs in the city. The development, named ‘Knowledge Economic City’ will include the Taiba Technological and Economic Information Center, an interactive museum on the Prophet’s life, a center for studies of Islamic civilization, as well as a center for medical studies, biosciences and integrated medical services according to reports from the Saudi Press Agency, quoted in Arab News.
King Abdullah issued the license to develop the project, which will include housing for 200,000 as well as commercial centers.
Knowledge Economic City’s main investors include the King Abdullah Foundation, Savola Group, Real Estate Projects Management and Development Company and Taiba Investment & Real Estate Development Company, while the main investor of the project will be the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA).
Knowledge Economic City will be developed on a 4.8 million m sq. land while the built up area will near 9 million m sq. attracting SR25bn worth of investments. The project will add 20,000 new jobs to the region.
Jobs: 20,000
Focus: Knowledge Based industries, Tourism and Services
Technological and Administrative Colleges
MEDINA: Malaysia will help Saudi Arabia build a RM25bil high-tech knowledge-economic city here.
“This is going to be a landmark not only for Saudi Arabia but also for the Muslim world,” said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“It shows two Muslim countries can co-operate and collaborate in the interest of the ummah (Muslim community) and can indeed transform the Muslim world,” he said here on Monday.
He earlier witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Malaysia’s Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and Saudi’s Seera City Real Estate Development Corporation to build the Medina Knowledge Economic City (KEC).
Najib said it was only fitting that Medina – the holy city that marked the beginning of the Islamic acquisition of knowledge – was chosen to transform the Muslims and to bring about a true revival.
“This will not only transform Medina but elevate its standing in the eyes of the world,” added the Deputy Prime Minister.
Najib said he was proud that Malaysia had been chosen as Saudi Arabia's partner for the KEC, which is patterned after Malaysia’s own Multimedia Super Corridor and Cyberjaya.
“We are willing to share our experiences and all our expertise. We have built the MSC and Cyberjaya and we will share the experience gained to make this project a real success,” he said.
He also suggested that Saudi Arabia and Malaysia embark on twinning programmes between the MSC and the KEC, adding that MDeC has the framework to bring in the Malaysian companies.
MDec is one-stop agency established to facilitate the development and promotion of the MSC.
Seera City managing director Dr Sami Baroum said they were already in talks with a number of Malaysian companies.
“The project is huge and can absorb as many joint ventures as possible,” he added.Physical work on the project will start in August and the first phase is expected to be completed in three-and-a-half years, he said.
That phase, he said, would include educational and health segments, hospitals, a hospitality complex, museum and some residential and retail shops.
Dr Sami said Medina, because of its holy status, was exclusively for Muslims and, hence, the projects would go to companies from the Muslim world.
“Malaysia is on top of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in terms of technology and capability and experience,” he added.
KEC will be ready in 12 to 15 years. Spread over 4.8 million sq metres, there will be, among others, technology and knowledge complexes, an interactive museum, a business centre and Islamic civilisation studies, technology and administrative centres.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Super Corridors Directory
http://www.cyberjaya.gov.my/
Tel: 03 8686 6060 (City Command Centre)
East Coast Economic Region - ECER
http://www.ecerdc.com/
Level 50, Tower 1, Petronas Twin Towers, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2331 0021, Fax : 03 2331 0020
Iskandar Development Region - IDR
http://www.idr.com.my/
K Perak INC (Implementation & Coordination) Corporation
MSC Malaysia Cybercentre @ Meru Rayahttp://www.kperak.com.my/
Level 8, Perak Techno Trade Centre (PTTC) Bandar Meru Raya,Jalan Jelapang, 30020 Ipoh
Tel: 05 526 1881, Fax: 05 526 0881
Kulim High Tech Park - KHTP
http://www.khtp.com.my/
Suite 3.01 - 3.02 3rd Floor KHTP Business CentreKulim Hi-Tech Park 09000 Kulim, Kedah
Tel: 04 403 2420, Fax: 04 403 1973
Labuan Offshore Financial Services Authority Centre - LOFSA / IOFC http://www.lofsa.gov.my/
Level 17, Main Office Tower, Financial Park Complex,Jalan Merdeka, 87000 Labuan F.T
Tel: 087 59 1200, Fax: 087 41 3328
Multimedia Super Corridor - MSC
http://www.msc.com.my/
MSC Malaysia Headquarters Persiaran APEC, 63000 Cyberjaya
Tel: 1 800 88 8338, 03 8315 3000, Fax: 03 8315 3115
Northern Corridor Economic Region - NCER - Koridor Utara
http://www.ncer.com.my/
1st Floor, Kompleks Sime Darby, Persiaran Kewajipan, USJ7, 47600 Subang Jaya
Tel: 03 5885 8217, Fax: 03 5636 3552
Penang Automation Cluster - PAC
http://www.pac.org.my/
Invest-in-Penang Berhad1 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, PSDC Building, Bayan Lepas, 11909 Penang
Tel: 04 646 8833, Fax: 04 646 8811
PenangCybercity - PCC
http://www.investpenang.gov.my/
Invest-in-Penang Berhad 1 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah,PSDC Building, Bayan Lepas, 11909 Penang
Tel: 04 646 8833, Fax: 04 646 8811
Putrajaya - Federal Administrative Capital
http://www.ppj.gov.my/
Kompleks Perbadanan Putrajaya, 24 Persiaran Perdana, Presint 3, 62675 Putrajaya
Tel: 03 8887 7000, Fax: 03 8887 5000
Sabah Development Corridor - SDC
http://www.sdc.net.my/
Sabah Development Corridor Data Centre, 88300 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Tel: 088 24 5097, Fax: 088 24 5097
Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy - SCORE
http://www.sarawakcore.com.my/
Regional Economic Development Authority - RECODAState Planning Unit, Chief Minister's Department, Sarawak
Technology Park Malaysia - TPM
http://www.tpm.com.my/
Level 5, Enterprise 4 Technology Park Malaysia 57000 Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 8998 2020, Fax: 03 8998 2110
WLK 2 - Second Klang Valley, Selangor
http://www.wlk2.com/
16th Floor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Building, 40000 Shah Alam
Tel: 03 5544 7117, Fax: 03 5510 9229
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Rich Gets Richer!
Property within RM800,000 to RM 1,000,000
Halal Food Is a Billion Dollar Business
The certification of halal food has been conducted throughout the country since 1982 by the Department of Islamic Development of Malaysia (JAKIM). The Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is responsible, under the United Nations,for regulations of food preparation globally, has cited Malaysia as the best example in the world in terms of justification of halal food. The Malaysian model has been regarded as the role model for the development of world halal food industries.
Food production needs to diversify to strengthen the up and coming halal food hubs. Industries keen on going big scale in food production should look at the endless possibilities of value added products, but should not confine itself to food of their ethnic origins only, but must broaden their horizons to food from other cultures. Malaysia is not competitive to sell raw material but it has the elements to be a trading nation. What Malaysia can do, is to bring in raw material, turn them into halal value added products, and sell them to the global market. This is where halal hubs play its role.
Menjelang Pelancaran ECER - Petronas Perancang Utama
"Daripada RM112 bilion itu, 20 peratus akan dibiayai oleh sektor swasta, 27 peratus melalui inisiatif pembiayaan swasta (PFI) dan bakinya oleh kerajaan,” kata Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Petronas, Tan Sri Mohd. Hassan Marican .
The National Mission - Strength Of Human Capital To Determine Malaysia's Success & Islam Hadhari
The development of quality human capital is critical to build competitiveness and to achieve national development goals.
As a developing nation, Malaysia faces many competitive pressures and challenges in the 21st century. In the current environment, success comes to those who value-add themselves. This is true for individuals, corporations and nations. To realise our country’s aspirations, a substantial effort must be made to develop human capital and consequently enhance our competitiveness, productivity and capacity to innovate. .
Our youth are like unpolished gemstones. They will inherit our nation and will determine its fortunes in the years ahead. They must possess intellectual capacity, knowledge and culture. They must possess physical well-being and strong morals. Our youth must be prepared to lead our nation to greater heights.
We are currently effecting a quantum leap to develop human capital, and increase our productivity and innovation, so that we can attain developed nation status by 2020. We are transforming our education system at all levels – from pre-school to higher education. It is a complex task that involves many stakeholders. The Education Development Blueprint, 2006 – 2010 that was launched on 16 January 2007 provides the strategy and guidance to deliver quality basic education that is relevant to present needs.
What is the National Mission to determine Malaysia's success?
A: The National Mission has five main thrusts:-
1) moving the economy up the value chain
2) developing first class human capital
3) addressing persistent socio-economic imbalances,
4) improving the quality of life and
5) strengthening institutional capacity all of which are universal, constant requirements for national-building.
The strength of our human capital will determine the success of the Mission. It will determine whether we achieve developed-nation status and progress further. Let us all build a nation that enriches every citizen, regardless of race or belief. Let us be a nation where everyone enjoys balanced development. Let us carry our nation to the peak of distinction.
Q: How will the growth corridors help the poor, especially the Malays?
A: The philosophy behind the development corridors is that no one should be left behind.
There are fears that these development corridors, especially the IDR, will threaten the future of the Malays. Perhaps in the past, we were laggards in our own land. This is not the case now. We now have many Malays who are well educated and have become doctors, lawyers, accountants and even astronauts. A class of Malay managers, capable of successfully running businesses, has emerged. Therefore, the presumption that the IDR will harm Malays is an insult to the ability of Malays to compete on the global stage.
The NCER has been well received by the people of the north. Similarly, the ECER has elicited a positive response from the people on the east coast, including the Pas government in Kelantan.
Our efforts are evidence of the government's sincerity in bringing development to all parts of the country. We put aside politics to improve the quality of life of the people and to lift them out of poverty. The Prime Minister said the harmony among the various communities and religions in the country was not an “optional luxury” but a necessity.
Islam must be identified as a religion that dispenses justice, prohibits inequity and rejects violence. There is nothing wrong with Islam, the error lies in the misguided actions by those who fail to interpret Islam and those who fail to practise it with open minds and rational thought.
Muslims should concentrate on building what makes Islam attractive. The government's stand is that Islam will be respected if it develops intellectual excellence, emphasises the pursuit of knowledge and concentrates on attaining economic success.
The 10 principles of Islam Hadhari, an approach that was understood and supported by all.
The Constitution provides that Islam is the official religion of the federation but there is freedom to practise other religions. Guided by the spirit of the Constitution, Malaysians of different religions must exercise mutual respect. We have received international acknowledgement for our success in developing the Islamic financial system and in building a halal hub, and these efforts are no less important than our individual religious obligations or our fardu ain. These efforts illustrate that Islam is contemporary and relevant in the modern economy. In fact, research in economy, science and technology is encouraged. We should give priority to these pursuits. Islam and the ummah will be developed more quickly when Muslims can show excellence in economy, science and technology.
Malaysia has continued to take great strides in becoming a premier global Islamic centre. In the Islamic capital markets, Malaysia accounts for two thirds of the world's Islamic bonds, amounting to US$47 billion (RM156.5 billion). In line with the Malaysian International Islamic Finance Centre (MIFC) initiative, Malaysia has liberalised the Islamic finance sector to encourage the participation of foreign institutions in banking, capital markets and takaful. In addition, we have taken a leadership role in establishing institutions such as the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) and the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF).
The IFSB, which has a membership of 125 countries, works to co-ordinate regulations and standards internationally, whereas INCEIF is a university-level institution that develops human capital to meet the needs of the Islamic finance sector.
Malaysia is also committed to becoming a world class halal hub. The government has been active in promoting the products and services of Halal Malaysia while strengthening its halal certification. Our commitment is shown through the establishment of the Halal Industry Development Corporation to spearhead and co-ordinate a variety of initiatives.
What is Islam Hadhari?
Islam Hadhari is an approach that emphasizes development, consistent with the tenets of Islam and focused on enhancing the quality of life. It aims to achieve this via the mastery of knowledge and the development of the individual and the nation; the implementation of a dynamic economic, trading and financial system; an integrated and balanced development that creates a knowledgeable and pious people who hold to noble values and are honest, trustworthy, and prepared to take on global challengers.
Principles of Islam Hadhari .
Islam Hadhari aims to achieve ten main principles:
• Faith and piety in Allah
• A just and trustworthy government
• A free and independent People
• Mastery of knowledge
• Balanced and comprehensive economic development
• A good quality of life
• Protection of the rights of minority groups and women
• Cultural and moral integrity
• Safeguarding the environment
• Strong defenses
The Ummah must be a society that embraces knowledge, skills and expertise in order to build capacity. Islam makes it compulsory for Muslims to embrace knowledge in all fields. The misconception that there exists a difference between so called secular knowledge and religious knowledge must be corrected. Islam demands the mastery of science and technology and the enhancement of skills and expertise. It is important for the Ummah to be guided in understanding and practicing Islam as a comprehensive way of life as a means to building a civilization.
A wholesome way of life will create the balance between our responsibilities in this world and the Hereafter. Islam is not merely a ritual, because ritualism is meant solely for the Hereafter. The Government has never practiced secularism that rejects the Hereafter and focuses solely on worldly matters. Islam must be lived as a system that integrates the worldly life and preparations for the Day of judgment.