MSC-Status moves outside the corridor

KEPALA BATAS: The Government is prepared to consider applications for MSC-status from information and communications technology (ICT) companies residing outside the Multimedia Super Corridor.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said the Government does not want the MSC to be forever confined to just one area.

Jamaludin said that instead of a whole city being conferred “cybercity” status, companies which believe they can meet the MSC’s stringent qualification criteria but which currently reside outside the designated areas, can apply for MSC- status.

He said some Malaysian cities are large and it would take time for them to meet all the qualification criteria, which include having redundant power supply systems and a broadband infrastructure. “For example, certain buildings in a large city such as Johor Bahru could be conferred a ‘cybercentre’ status while waiting for the whole city to be made a ‘cybercity,’ so that companies that reside in these cybercentres could enjoy MSC benefits in the meantime,” he said.