Since its founding in 1996 until the end of 2009, MSC Malaysia has generated about RM24.83 billion in revenues, RM7.17 billion of that from exports, and has created close to 100,000 jobs throughout Malaysia.
Today, MSC Malaysia is home to 2,600 active local and multinational technology companies, close to 600 of which are leading global organizations addressing a broad spectrum of ICT specialisations such as creative multimedia, outsourcing, software development, hardware design, Internet-based businesses, support services, and many more.
MSC Malaysia Status companies are the spearhead of Malaysia’s ICT-led transformation into a high-income knowledge-based economy. Through their hard work and relentless determination to pursue efficiencies and excellence Malaysia is emerging as a global player in science, technology and innovation. International markets are looking to Malaysia with increasing frequency for the ICT knowledge, skills and services they need to ensure their own continuing successes.
A key mechanism of improving the competitiveness of MSC Malaysia Status companies has been the adoption of industry best practices and policies through global standards certification. In today’s smaller and flatter world, these internationally recognised certifications assure customers, industry peers, suppliers, employees and investors of the competence and capabilities of the certified company. This results in a significant competitive advantage being held by certified companies over those without and has proven to have a positive effect in helping Malaysian ICT companies win international contracts.
Recently, Malaysia climbed another rung toward achieving a high-income knowledge-based economy. For many years our companies have adopted the global standards set by markets and industries more mature than our own. But now, as we ourselves mature, it is no longer enough for us to follow those who came before us. The challenges we face in today’s global economy are unique and hence we must find new and innovative means to overcome them.
The recently held MSC Malaysia APEC Workshop on Software Standards for SMEs and VSEs brought together Malaysia, Thailand and our partners from across the world to lay the groundwork for adopting the ISO 29110, the first international software standard developed to address the needs of SMEs and VSEs.
The ISO 29110 may be compared with the Software Engineering Institutes renowned Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Level 2 that takes a process improvement approach to achieve greater performance across software development projects. However, while the CMMI is very often inaccessible to SMEs and VSEs because of its complex requirements and the need to commit significant resources to achieving the certification, the ISO 29110 is designed from the ground up to be accessible to and to support the needs of SMEs and VSEs.
Through the ISO 29110, SMEs and VSEs with fewer than 25 people will be able to enhance their productivity by developing their ICT products and services according to the highest global quality standards, and prove this to their customers. The certification will open opportunities for these companies to compete in global markets where small software companies have extremely limited means to be recognised as businesses that produce high quality products.
Additionally, the ISO 29110 will also be a shared platform to improve regional economic integration across APEC allowing SMEs and VSEs across the region to create the business pools necessary for critical mass attraction.
The ISO 29110 and the MSC Malaysia APEC Workshop on Software Standards for SMEs and VSEs are important milestones along the road that Malaysia’s software development industry is taking to becoming an equitable participant in global markets. In the years ahead, these initiatives will stimulate, encourage and reward Malaysian innovation and creativity in software development and draw the world’s attention to the opportunities presented by Malaysian ICT companies, both within and outside of MSC Malaysia.
Looking forward, the MSC Malaysia will continue to support local ICT companies find the means to improve their internal efficiencies and increase their export potential, and to build the capacities of Malaysia’s ICT industry. Together we will achieve our national aspiration of an ICT-led move up the value chain to exist as an innovation-based economy.