MDEC sets to accelerate big data analytics adoption, innovation

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CYBERJAYA: The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) sets to accelerate the Big Data Analytics (BDA) adoption and innovation among Malaysian companies by establishing a network of BDA Innovation Centres of Excellence.

Its chief executive officer Datuk Yasmin Mahmood said the initiative would focus on bringing private and public partnerships as a conduit to build critical mass in BDA adoption and innovation.

It is also a crucial step in realising MDeC’s vision to turn Malaysia into a BDA hub in Asean, she said at the launch of a network of BDA Innovation Centres of Excellence, here yesterday.

At the event, three Memorandum of Understandings were signed between MDeC leading industry players and key government partners for the setting up of three Centres of Excellence (CoEs).

Under the MoUs, Fusionex International and Teradata Corporation Malaysia Sdn Bhd will build the industry-driven CoEs, while the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu) and MIMOS will establish a BDA Digital Government lab to be part of the wider national network.

Yasmin said the MoU would cement efforts in structuring a national network of CoEs and help mobilise the country’s top BDA experts to develop high-impact projects and proof-of-concepts in driving adoption and innovation.

“Our goal from these CoEs is to create a sustainable BDA ecosystem, place Malaysia as an Asean hub that utilises expertise from the public and private sectors.

“MdeC will oversee the overall programme by assessing and qualifying high-impact projects as well as facilitating and supporting,” she said.

Yasmin said the areas of collaboration would also involve designing and developing high-impact solutions in key sectors that had significant roles in Malaysia’s economy such as the banking telecommunication, and oil and gas industries.

This will lead to the proliferation of BDA technologies in these key industries and create jobs in the respective sectors, thus creating a sustainable ecosystem in Malaysia and acting as a catalyst for further growth.

On this note, Yasmin said the shortage of data scientists had to be addressed as Malaysia has only about 80 data scientists in the public and private sectors.

She said 16,000 data professionals and at least 1,500 data scientists are needed by 2020, while for the National BDA CoEs, 50 data science professionals, including 15 data scientists would be working on several high-impact projects. — Bernama