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MSC Malaysia ICON2 Targets Local Content Development Growth

• By Online News Source
• Published 4 July 2011
• General
• Unrated

By: Nico Marco

Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) today announced the commencement of the 2nd MSC Malaysia Integrated Content Development Programme (ICON2), which aims to enable the Rakyat with the skills and means to create world-class local content.


Apart from tapping into the growing global demand for mobile applications, this programme provides a platform to continue playing an active role in Malaysia’s transformation into a fully digital economy, as outlined under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).


ICON2 has allocated RM5 million of funding, which will be spread across its three programmes namely ICONdap, ICONapps and ICONeX. Disbursement will depend on the quantity and quality of submissions received.


“The ICON platform is playing a key role in transforming Malaysia from a mainly content consuming nation, into one that is more into local content generation. The positive response garnered, and the success of the inaugural ICON program has compelled us to launch ICON2, which will continue accelerating the growth of our local digital content industry, and sustain our drive in becoming a regional and global ICT hub,” said Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, Chief Executive Officer of MDeC.


The ICON2 initiative is a key component of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), which will transform Malaysia into a high-income nation by 2020. ETP is driven via 12 National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs), which are essentially the nation’s key strategic growth sectors.


One of the NKEAs is “Communications, Content and Infrastructure”, or CCI in short, and encompasses industries and professions that facilitate and support the growth of the new economy such as broadband internet, telecommunications, online content, mobile apps and internet-based services. The ten Entry Point Projects (EPPs) under the CCI NKEA include “Nurturing Malaysia’s Creative Content” EPP, which aims to enhance our capacity and capability to create locally-produced content. This is where ICON2 comes under, as it seeks to continue ramping up the development of home-grown apps and content.


ICON2 will be focusing more into the creative and technical aspect of projects instead of just the business aspects, as previously done back in 2009. Through this, the programme hopes to provide creative and technical individuals with the chance to focus on developing their best and most creative ideas.


“Through our industry focused training and funding, ICON2 aims to bring the next stage of content and application development in Malaysia. By identifying the most creative individuals with the best ideas and proposals is in line with MSC Malaysia’s long-term strategy of talent development.” continues Datuk Badlisham.


Since the launch of the first ICON initiative in 2009, the following milestones and achievements were recorded:

• Over 1,105 individuals received basic programming training
• 221 received advanced programming training (iOS and android)
• 60 grants were allocated
• 180 jobs and 96 mobile applications were created
• Two of the more notable applications include the ‘1 Malaysia Hotline’ which generated more than 50,000 downloads and ‘Kiddie Song’ which generated RM25,000 in revenue.
• Achieved Malaysia Book of Records’ ‘First Live Internet Broadcast of Non-Stop Cooking Show (24 hours)’ for the TryMasak showcase, a joint project by GeoflexSdnBhd and UKM’s 38th Convocation Festival
  

As of March 2011, more than 200 million Apple iOS and Android mobile devices have been sold, with users consuming up to 600,000 different mobile applications and more than 10 billion downloads. The mobile applications sector provides great financial returns with Apple paying US$2 billion to developers to date, and is a growing market with the growing global consumption of applications rising from 5% in 2008 to 34% in 2010 for portable games consumed in America. **(Industry Report)


To find out about participation details and other requirements, kindly visit www.mscmalaysia.my/ICON.