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This bill is a sign of true serious commitment by the Malaysian government. It was born out of 100 international companies specifying barriers to their commitment here.
The Malaysian Government commits the following under the Bill of Guarantees to all MSC companies (within MSC boundaries):
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INFRASTRUCTURE - Information & Physical
MSC will offer:
KL Telecommunication Towers, Petronas Twin Towers, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, will use dedicated fibre optic cables - plug into broadband Multimedia network
Physical Infrastructure
MSC will boast high quality residential housing, leisure & entertainment facilities, schools, multimedia university, hospitals, transport infrastructure and promote green environment with strict zoning.
Multimedia University
A multimedia university complete with state-of-the-art technology features will be built along the proposed highway linking Kuala Lumpur with Putrajaya and KLIA.
The university will be built on a 70-hectare site at Information Technology City, adjacent to Putrajaya. The university is to be built under the Private Higher Education Institutions Act.
The university is geared to meet the needs of the growing information technology industry. The Education Ministry would seek the help of foreign and local information technology experts, prominent corporate bodies, and foreign universities to provide input and to prepare the lay-out and determine the budget for the university.
Due to a shortage of information technology lecturers, foreign lecturers would be hired to teach in the multimedia university.
Malaysia will require 50,000 information technology workers by the turn of the century.
KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Complex)
KLCC Tower (also known as Petronas Twin Tower)is the world's tallest office building at 452 meters, with 88 levels.
KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport)
Rail Links & Highways
Putrajaya
Moving the national administrative machinery from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya is in line with the Government's policy to provide a more balanced development away from Kuala Lumpur. It is a decision motivated by the Government's desire to improve the urban environment and quality of life in Kuala Lumpur and ensure continued growth in the Klang Valley.
In June 1993, the Federal Government approved Perang Besar as the site for the development of Putrajaya in view of its strategic location along the Kuala Lumpur and KL International Airport growth corridor.
In December 1993, the Federal Government appointed six local consultants, together with the Town and Country Planning Department and the Public Works Department to prepare the development plan for Putrajaya. On 22 February 1995, the Government approved the plan. It was launched in August 1995.
Putrajaya will be developed as a Garden City with intelligent features. It will be a city that will be developed in accordance with a structured plan that focuses on the preservation of it eco-culture and is sensitive to the quality of life of its inhabitants. It will provide an urban environment for 250,000 people with 52,000 homes equipped with modern amenities.
This will be the principal seat of the government, using multimedia technologies to become a paperless administration. It will cater to 76,000 staff who will occupy 1.5 million square metres of floor space. Leading the initiative will be the PM's office which plans to to become "paperless" by the year 2000.
The government will be favouring MSC companies to supply government's requirements.
The Edge Communications, June 34 1997
Setia undertakes this work as a consortium (Setia -50%, Putrajaya Holdings - 30%, and as yet unidentified bumiputra company - 20%). There are four other consortiums involved in developing Putrajaya: Hong Leong Properties Bhd., Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd , and possibly Peremba. |
Cyberjaya
Employment of Foreign Knowledge Workers
The Malaysian Multimedia Bill of Guarantees confers the right to MSC status companies to employ any number of foreign workers who will be treated like "special guests" with multiple entries.
Knowledge Worker
Definition of a "knowledge worker" is any of the following:
Freedom Of Ownership
A MSC status companies can be wholly owned by foreign legal entities - with the proviso that:
Freedom To Source Capital Globally
MSC-status companies are required to:
Financial Incentives
All MSC-status companies enjoy the following financial benefits:
Please contact the MDC for more details on granting parent companies with the ITA, or for 'value-added' component on companies already operating in Malaysia.
MSC-status companies exporting multimedia products manufactured in Malaysia but have paid duties on imported components should consult the MDC for their eligibility to refunds.
CYBERLAWS
Given the fact that there has been no precedence in terms of a multimedia corridor legal framework, the proposed laws for the MSC are regarded as extremely crucial in creating a conducive environment and wooing foreign multimedia-based companies to come to Malaysia.
Multimedia Development Corporation chief operating officer, Dr Mohamed Arif Nun, has described the set of 6 cyberlaws as the most sweeping single package of legislation specifically dealing with the legal challenges surrounding information technology.
Computer Crimes Bill and Digital Signature Bill have already been tabled and passed in Parliament. The Government is planning to unveil a Telemedicine Bill and an amended Copyright Act in the next few weeks followed by an Electronic Government Bill, Multimedia Intellectual Properties Bill and a Multimedia Convergence Bill in the next parliamentary session.
The multiple objectives of the cyberlaws are:
More details on each of the Cyberlaws follow:
1. Electronic Government Bill
To enable politicians, public servants and public to communicate electronically, using established and secure formats and standards.
2. Computer Crimes Bill 1997
This has already been passed. A copy of this is obtainable at web site:
The Computer Crimes Bill creates new offences dealing with computer hacking, virus creation and divulging of passwords which can be applied to action anywhere in the world that has an impact on Malaysian-linked computers.
The bill supplies the framework that defines illegal access, interception, use of computers and information, standards for service providers, outlines potential penalties for infractions.
3. Telemedicine Bill
This will enable the provision of remote medical services, using electronic medical data and prescription standards, to be covered by insurance schemes.
4. Multimedia Convergence Bill
This will be a World's first whereby the act will attempt to rationalise various technologies, i.e. the convergence of different media that were previously governed by different acts. This constitutes a marriage of the 3 Cs - computers, communications, and content.
5. Multimedia Intellectual Properties Bill
No other country has created such a comprehensive set of laws on the protection of intellectual property. It will give Multimedia developers full intellectual property protection via on-line registration of works, licensing, and royalty collection.
6. Digital Signature Bill 1997
This has already been passed. A copy of this is obtainable at web site:
The Digital Signatures Bill creates an electronic signature with equal legal standing to a written signature and the means for authenticating the signature and any message attached to it. It aims to enable digital signature (cf. handwritten) in legal & business transactions.
MDC (Multimedia Development Corporation)
MDC's singular and overriding purpose is to ensure the success of the MSC. It's vision: to execute plans for Vision 2020 - specifically in regards to the Multimedia Super Corridor.
The MDC has initiated an automatic acceptance system with a 30 day turnaround. Only rejected companies will be notified within 30 days - MSC status is automatically conferred if there is no news from MDC within 30 days.
The Multimedia Development Corp will open 10 offices around the world over the next two years to be near the MSC's clients.
MDC Board Of Directors
(from public and private sectors)
Chairman:
Tan Sri Dr. Othman Yeop Abdullah
Chief Operating Officer:
Dr. Arif Nun (former deputy Director-General of Mimos)
