Government unveils national IoT roadmap

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) together with its applied research agency, MIMOS, today launched the National Internet of Things (IoT) Strategic Roadmap, a document that would serve as a guideline for IoT implementation in Malaysia.

Its minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin said that the development of information and communications technology (ICT) was closely related to the nation’s economic growth; and IoT, being the latest evolution in the technology, was an important deciding factor in the economic and social development of the country.

“IoT implementation goes across key social and economic sectors. This means that the development and implementation of IoT require a clear guideline and strategy that takes into account various critical aspects such as data security and sovereignty, privacy, Intellectual Property management etc,” he said at the unveiling of the roadmap document, here, today.

(Front L-R): Datuk Abdul Wahab Abdullah, Faris Yahaya.
[Back L-R): Dr. Mohd Azhar Hj Yahaya, Deputy Secretary General (Policy), MOSTI, and Dr. Ewon Ebin, Minister of MOSTI

Dr Ewon said that Malaysia had the creative and high-potential talent groups, good investment climate, as well as strong interest and commitment; all ingredients that could push the country to be a premier regional IoT hub as envisioned by the Roadmap.

The event also saw the signing of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between MIMOS and Cyberview Sdn Bhd, CyberSecurity Malaysia and SAS Inc., respectively on developing Cyberjaya as a model ‘Smart and Safe City’ through IoT implementation.

To initiate the collaboration, Cyberjaya will implement various IoT-based solutions such as smart traffic management system and public safety monitoring, energy management, among many others, which can be enhanced and rolled out at a larger scale in due time.

MIMOS Chief Executive Officer Datuk Abdul Wahab Abdullah said that a key goal of the Roadmap was also to create an ecosystem conducive to the IoT industry, while strengthening the capabilities of technopreneurs in the many component “layers” of IoT.

“The IoT ecosystem that we have been building is already up and running. As a premier applied research centre, MIMOS comes in as a key technology provider, in particular for the development of the IoT Open Innovation Framework, while as implementation secretariat, we will monitor the results, outcome and impact of all IoT deployments,” he said.

Managing Director of Cyberview Sdn Bhd, Faris Yahaya, said that with the launch of the Roadmap and signing of the MoU, Cyberjaya will become a “living lab” for IoT implementations. He said: “With the robust and resilient infrastructure set-up in Cyberjaya, the tech city forms the best platform to nurture and grow IoT talent and business, as well as groom IoT services or solutions in Malaysia.”

Chief Executive Officer of CyberSecurity Malaysia Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab said: “In a Smart City, the various cyber security threats will bring us an entirely new set of concerns. Cyber attackers can potentially hijack sensitive information recorded by the devices, mobile apps and cloud services; and can even pose physical safety risks for consumers. CyberSecurity Malaysia is pleased to work with MIMOS to jointly establish security assurance for products and ICT systems.” The cooperation is also to establish security requirements and guidelines on products based on technologies developed using Open Innovation Framework, he said.

SAS Malaysia’s Head of Sales Operations, Sheikh Manzoor Ghani said: “As the global leader in analytics, SAS is excited to work with MIMOS to develop applications and services towards Malaysia’s Smart and Safe City vision. SAS will bring its expertise in the areas of Smart Energy Management, Smart Policing and Government Service Efficiency.”

Sheikh Manzoor said that SAS had the experience of working in smart nation initiatives of countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia – the insights of which would enable the Malaysian government and industry to better anticipate citizens’ needs and help in better delivery of services to improve the lives of Malaysians.

-end-

About MIMOS

MIMOS is Malaysia’s Premier Applied Research and Development Centre in Information and Communications Technology. As a strategic agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), MIMOS contributes to raising Malaysia’s competitiveness by pioneering market creation for Malaysian technopreneurs through patentable technology platforms, products and solutions. Over the past 10 years, MIMOS has filed more than 900 Intellectual Properties in various technology domains and across key socio-economic areas. Serving a central role in Malaysia’s transformation journey and ICT Vision, MIMOS endeavours to create a culture of innovation by nurturing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, in the spirit of smart partnerships and inclusive growth models and strategies.

About Cyberview Sdn Bhd

Cyberview Sdn Bhd is a Technology Hub Enabler that empowers the tech community through the delivery of industry development initiatives, investor relations services and tech hub development and management services. Cyberview spearheads the development and transformation of Cyberjaya into a Global Tech Hub. It takes pride of its ability to consult, establish, and advance an open and conducive technology hub ecosystem by fostering unique business growth models for all stakeholders. Cyberview believes in unlocking the potential of technology through collaborative efforts from both the public and private sectors to propel economic growth and wealth creation.

About CyberSecurity Malaysia

CyberSecurity Malaysia is the national cyber security specialist under the purview of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia. CyberSecurity Malaysia provides expertise and technical services in the field of cyber security for the public and private sectors as well as the community. Stay connected with us on www.facebook.com/CyberSecurityMalaysia and www.twitter.com/cybersecuritymy

About SAS

SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions, SAS helps customers at more than 75,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know.