MSC Malaysia. The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) program was launched by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia (1981-2003), circa 1996. The establishment of the MSC program was crucial to accelerate the objectives of Vision 2020 and to transform Malaysia into a modern state by the year 2020, with the adoption of a knowledge-based society framework (Jeong, 2007).
The MSC flagship applications were launched to boost the MSC Malaysia initiatives and to create a multimedia utopia (hub) for innovative producers and users of multimedia technology. Consortia comprising both the local and foreign companies (MNCs) collaborated with various government agencies, departments and ministries to enhance the socio-economic development of Malaysia in the new millennium (Information Age). The vision and mission of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) as expressed by Dr Mahathir Mohammad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia at the time (1981-2003), is essentially this:
“MSC is paramount to leapfrog (Malaysia) into the 21st century and to achieve Malaysia’s Vision 2020, the MSC was created to endeavour the best environment to harness the full potential of the multimedia without any artificial limits. MSC is a global test bed (hub), where the limits of the possible can be explored, and new ways of living, working, and playing in the new area of the Information Age.” (Ibrahim Ariff & Goh Chen Chuan, 2000; Jeong, 2007)
The Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) is a Government-designated zone in
Malaysia designed to
leapfrogThe concept of leapfrogging was originally used in the context of economic growth theories and industrial-organization innovation studies with specific focus on competition among firms. It is based on Joseph Schumpeter's notion of ‘gales of creative destruction’...
Malaysia into the
information and knowledge ageThe Information Age, also commonly known as the Computer Age or Digital Age, is an idea that the current age will be characterized by the ability of individuals to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge that would have been difficult or impossible to find previously...
. It aims to attract companies with temporary tax breaks and facilities such as high-speed Internet access and proximity to the
Kuala Lumpur International AirportKuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
.
MSC Malaysia covers an area of approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) × 50 km (31.1 mi) (that is, 750 square kilometre) stretching from the Petronas Twin Towers to the
Kuala Lumpur International AirportKuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
, and including the towns of
PutrajayaPutrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas...
and
CyberjayaCyberjaya is a town with a science park as the core that forms a key part of the Multimedia Super Corridor in Malaysia. It is located in the district of Sepang, Selangor and is situated about 50 km south of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia...
. On 7 December 2006,
Port KlangPort Klang is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Colonially known as Port Swettenham, it is also the location of the largest and busiest port in the country. As such, its economic progress has been greatly influenced by the port activities in its area...
was added to the MSC.
This project was announced by former Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Dr MahathirTun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad . is a Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister. His political career spanned almost 40 years.Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir...
at the Multimedia Asia Conference on 1 August 1996. Dr Mahathir's visit to the United States of America in January 1997 to promote the MSC to companies there succeeded in attracting the interest of many large
information technologyInformation technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
companies. During the visit, an international advisory panel comprising 30 information technology experts were formed to exchange ideas toward the success of the MSC.
The
Multimedia Development CorporationThe Multimedia Development Corporation is a government-owned institution responsible for the management of the Multimedia Super Corridor in Malaysia as a technology industry and commerce zone....
(
MDeC, formerly
MDC) was created to oversee development of the MSC.
Thus, MSC will inevitably improve the overall administrative functions of the government in the civil services, and subsequently contributed towards a better environment in the new millennium for the general public (G2C) and business community (G2B). In addition to that, the internal efficiency and effectiveness of the e-Government in their administrative functions, through the use of Information Technology, will improve tremendously and eventually lead the public sectors to be more effective and competitive, both at the national level and international arena (Jeong, 2007).