Local information and communications technology industry veteran C.J. Ang made history when he became the first president of the Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry Malaysia, or Pikom, in mid-January. Appointed by the Pikom Council, he is expected to help assert the association’s vision and mission to position the country as a global ICT player. Rozana Sani writes.

Ang points out that Pikom has started the Soft Skills Development Programme with management training providers to help Pikom members develop their staff in terms of soft skills.

Q: What are your views on the state of the local ICT sector and the progress it has made over the years?
A: The ICT industry in Malaysia is strong and vibrant, and growing even more. From a very multinational-driven, foreign product-oriented environment when I first got into the industry, we now have a thriving base of Malaysian software developers and solutions and services providers in all fields of ICT, contributing RM40 billion to the Malaysian GDP (gross domestic product) in 2007, up 10 per cent from 2006.
In 1976, there were hardware distributors and companies providing data entry services and in the supplies business. Fast-forward to today’s environment, we find locally developed software solutions available for all industry sectors. In fact, the multinationals have all but abandoned that to local ISVs (independent software vendors) and software developers.
Local companies are also in content development, Internet services, telecommunications and all derivatives of the communications business, ICT-based financial services, shared services and outsourcing, with many of them in leading positions.
A good gauge is the growth in the number of ICT companies in Malaysia. From around 20 or so significant ones when I started, about half of them multinationals, there is now an estimated 3,500, of which about 1,500 are active MSC-status companies. Our ICT industry has been growing in the last few years, and is forecast to grow over the next few years at an average annual growth rate of 10 per cent, making Malaysia one of the fastest-growing ICT markets in Asia.

Q: Have local ICT players got what it takes to propel the industry further?
A: Yes, but major management and human resource constraints need to be resolved.
As I have mentioned above, the base and spread of Malaysian companies exist to cater to all of the growth sub-sectors within ICT. Ambition among our technopreneurs is definitely a key strength. They are not afraid to venture into the unknown, both in terms of core businesses and new markets. Judging by the applications for the various R&D (research and development) grants, there are also plenty of new ideas going around.
But that same strength in ambition is often also a major weakness in the form of lack of reality. Forecast growth rates of new ventures are often astronomical, made by management teams with strong technical talent but often lacking the breadth of management experience.
Another major weakness (industry-wide) is shortage of appropriate human resource, both in terms of numbers and skill types.
New graduates often lack the soft skills required for flexibility and adaptability in today’s business environment. Among them are language skills, presentation skills, ability to write good technical and business reports and business letters, and ability to understand financial terms.
To go further as an industry, we must overcome the human capital shortage. Pikom has started the Soft Skills Development Programme, where we work with established management training providers like MIM (Malaysian Institute of Management) to help our members develop their staff in terms of soft skills. We have also engaged the universities and Government planners to achieve the required quality and quantity of future ICT graduates.

Q: Before the new Cabinet was announced, Pikom called for the setting up of an ICT Ministry. What sort of impact would this have made if it was realised?
A: An ICT Ministry would have further accelerated the local ICT industry’s export potential and the nation’s transformation to become a net ICT exporter in five years. Such a dedicated portfolio in the Cabinet would have further reinforced our Government’s focus on ICT.
Do you realise that ICT imports and exports are not tracked as a sector by the Government? ICT hardware is lumped under electrical and electronics while software and services are lumped under services. This does not speak very well for an industry designated as a priority industry. It is left to MDeC (Multimedia Development Corporation) and private entities like Pikom and research firms to monitor the progress of the industry.
An ICT Ministry would monitor and track ICT performance closely, and stronger plans could be developed to further stimulate the growth of this major sector.
Another reason for Pikom proposing an ICT Ministry is the convergence of many technologies over the past few years, with even more convergence to come. In this converged environment, ICT companies have to interface more frequently with several different Government agencies. So, the establishment of the proposed ICT Ministry could have unified many important bureaucratic processes and procedures under one umbrella.

Q: What role do you see yourself playing at Pikom, and what do you hope to achieve?
A: The Pikom president’s role is to drive Pikom’s programmes along the direction and strategies determined by the elected Pikom Council.
Working closely with MDeC and WCIT2008 Sdn Bhd, a successful WCIT (World Congress in Information Technology) in May will be the immediate challenge. Thereafter, the Pikom five-year plan and the spin-offs of WCIT will be the major goals. And the Pikom secretariat needs to be strengthened further to achieve these plans. All these should keep me busy for quite a while.



Biodata

C.J. Ang has over 30 years of experience in the IT industry. The 55-year-old’s IT career started with Computer Systems Adviser in 1976 and has included top management positions at IBM Malaysia, Compaq Computer Malaysia (now part of HP Malaysia), IT Partners Sdn Bhd and Cuscapi Bhd (formerly Datascan Bhd). Ang currently sits on the board of two public-listed companies as a non-executive director.
Ang graduated from the Royal Military College in Sungai Besi in 1971 and later received his Bachelor degree in applied sciences from Universiti Sains Malaysia 1976.