Concerted Effort Needed For Local ICT Firms To Become Global Players

Source: Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- The government needed to make a concerted effort to help local information and communications technology (ICT) companies in becoming global players.

In making the call today, Scan Associates Bhd's chief executive officer Datuk Aminuddin Baki Esa said the government had already done a lot to assisting the ICT industry locally.

However, there was still a lack of concerted effort by the government to promote successful local ICT companies in venturing into overseas markets, he said. Aminuddin said government agencies needed to make more efforts in promoting the local ICT industry.

Most government agencies preferred to promote sectors like agriculture and furniture, he said during a breakout session on "Asian Opportunity: From Start-up to Global" held in conjunction with the 16th World Congress on Information Tecnology (WCIT) 2008) here today.

Xybase MSC Sdn Bhd's founder and president Suhaimee Abu Hassan said government linked-companies like Khazanah Nasional should invest in successful entrepreneur-led companies in order to help them in venturing into overseas markets.

He said besides acquiring local companies, Khazanah Nasional should also take over successful companies in the ICT industry and assist them to go global.

"If we want to build world-class ICT companies, Khazanah should not only be funding and acquiring local companies, they should also go to entrepreneurs and fund them to go outside," he added.