MADINAH, 27 February 2007 — A Malaysian government agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday with the Seera City Real Estate Development Corporation to jointly work together on the development of Madinah’s Knowledge Economic City (KEC).
Signing the MoU on behalf of Multimedia Development Corporation (MdeC) — a Malaysian government agency entrusted with driving the MSC Malaysia initiatives — were MdeC’s CEO Badlisham Ghazali and Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Eissa, president of Seera City Real Estate Development Corporation. The signing ceremony was attended by key Malaysian and Saudi representatives including the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak.
The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), behind the KEC, is working with a consortium of Saudi Arabian companies to undertake the development of the economic city, a SR25 billion knowledge-based industrial development covering a land area of 4.8 million square meters.
Badlisham also announced the setting up of MdeC’s new office in Riyadh. He said “Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner for us as we are both members of the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC). We are committed to share our experience and key learning points with the Saudi Arabian government in their ICT development programs especially in areas of e-government, education, health services and other knowledge economy development sectors.”
Badlisham further said that “any e-government development is a challenging undertaking due to its goal of promoting the knowledge-based industries. The Malaysian agencies have amassed valuable knowledge and expertise in developing various initiatives under our MSC Malaysia project and we are willing to share our years of experience and familiarity.”
He added that Malaysia’s experience and knowledge in implementing MSC Malaysia ICT programs such as the e-syariah, smart schools and other governmental services would serve as incredible resources that the Saudi Arabian government could leverage on.
Malaysia was also willing to share its expertise in health care services toward achieving both countries’ common goal of developing a knowledge-based society over time.
Malaysia’s hospital information system (HIS) has been implemented in several hospitals in the Kingdom such as the King Faisal Specialist Center in Jeddah.
MdeC also took the opportunity to canvass support among Saudi Arabia’s ICT policy leaders and businesses to Malaysia’s forthcoming premier event, the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), of which Malaysia is hosting in 2008.
WCIT provides an excellent platform for participants to discuss global ICT trends and development as well as network with key global ICT personalities.