THE Chinese Lunar Year of the Earth Rat will dawn on Thursday. According to the Web site Explore Chinese Astrology (http://chinese.astrology.com), after two consecutive Fire years, this year should be calmer in comparison.

But as the Rat never stops moving, the opposite may also be the case. Earth has a destructive relationship with the Rat’s fixed element, Water, the Web site said. Though not disastrous, it does mean that people should not rely too much on luck this year.

The online astrology service highlighted that one must take note that the Rat is the first sign of the Chinese zodiac, and this signifies new beginnings. So, this year is an appropriate time to start new ventures, which include new ideas, directions and ways of doing things. It is a good time to experiment and put plans into action, as there will be plenty of opportunities for success.

The online Chinese astrology predictions seem quite pertinent to the local information and communications technology (ICT) landscape. Amid continued ICT spending in the country, the industry is already rocked with the possibility of a slowdown due to the economic meltdown in the United States.

But David Wong Nan Fay, chairman of the Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry Malaysia, is confident that the local ICT industry is able to shield itself from the global economic slowdown, provided it becomes more competitive to overcome industry challenges such as human capital shortage, funding issues, the “buy local” mentality and infrastructure.

The industry, which is expected to grow 12 to 13 per cent this year, certainly has the ability to do so, going by its track record. Its focus on building on the momentum in the software and services sector shows that the industry is maturing into the next level of growth.

Explore Chinese Astrology has predicted that it will be a year of possibilities, a time of progress – although it may not generally be spectacular. For the local ICT industry, it could be just that – and much more.