Oleh/By : DATO' SERI DR.
MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD
Tempat/Venue : PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS, KLCC
Tarikh/Date : 06/07/99
Tajuk/Title : THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF SIEMENS
FUTUREL@B (FUTURE LAB)
I am very pleased to be here and to have been
given the honour to officially launch Siemens'
Futurel@b (Future Lab). Let me begin by congratulating
Siemens for making the right choice to set up this
state-of-the-art lab in Malaysia. Siemens has also made
the right decision to locate this centre right here at
the world's tallest buildings - the Petronas Twin
Towers. Having the tallest building in the world does
not make Malaysia a player on the international scene
but I would agree that the building being the tallest
reflects many facets of us, Malaysians. Malaysia has
achieved a significant degree of stability, development
and progress, sustained over the years until the
financial crisis in mid-1997.
2. Following the financial crisis, many so-called
analysts had "written off" Malaysia, saying that the
country was doomed. But we have yet again proved the
prophets of doom wrong. The increasing well-being of
Malaysia have imbued us with a sense of confidence to
be competitive, to tackle the tasks ahead in the
national, regional and the international context.
Having decided to be on the fast track does not mean
that we think the world is our oyster, but we are
certainly interested in joining efforts to make the
world a better place and to be party to the widening
decision-making processes on major issues.
3. Futurel@b will, I am sure, live up to its name --
the future. This centre which is said to be the first
in this region and the best in the world, will help to
achieve the Government's vision of a Malaysia that is a
regional hub for high-technology, information
technology and software companies. Malaysia is already
the world's largest exporter of microchips. The
Government of Malaysia has accorded greater emphasis to
the services sector, value-added manufacturing and high
technology industries targeted at the world market. In
the process of industrialisation, Malaysia has
progressed from the humble beginning of labour-
intensive semi conductor assembly of the 1970's to
today's sophisticated, value-added manufacturing that
includes marketing and customer support which have all
been pioneered by foreign companies. Recognising the
need to develop a strong foundation in IT in order to
be at the forefront of economic development, the
Malaysian Government is actively promoting the
Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).
4. The MSC will serve as the gateway for Malaysia to
become a regional hub for high-technology, IT and
software companies. We have the advantage of planning
and working on a green field site, taking the best
ideas from Japan, United States and even Germany to
incorporate in this massive project. The MSC will
encompass the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, the new Federal
Government Administrative Centre Putrajaya, and of
course the all new KL International Airport in Sepang.
5. In between, large tracts of land have been made
available for IT industries, hardware and software as
well as operations centres for worldwide businesses. We
are confident that our target of 200 MSC-status
companies by the year 2000 will be surpassed. As of
September last year, there were already 175 MSC-status
companies with investments worth more than RM3 billion.
Of these, 109 companies are already in operation.
6. The International Advisory Panel (IAP) meeting
which will be held soon in Cyberjaya, a core component
of the MSC where Siemens is a member, will re-access
and re-evaluate the MSC progress. The dialogue
sessions, one on one meetings, seminars, roundtable
sessions, conferences, visits and general networking
have made it amply clear that the MSC, with its mission
to become a testbed for IT and multimedia solutions,
has captured the attention and indeed the imagination
of global IT entrepreneurs.
7. The companies taking up offers in the MSC project
will create value for themselves in an environment
uniquely suited to their needs. While they will help
transform Malaysia and the region, they would also be
contributing towards their own role in the information
age. What the companies learn and test in the MSC will
help prepare them to solve problems faced when applying
their technologies and expertise worldwide.
8. The MSC offers many opportunities for companies to
explore multimedia technologies to their limits. It is
by far the most comprehensive test bed devised for the
purpose of innovation and testing of technologies and
their applications in the information age.
9. Malaysia is indeed proud to have Siemens play an
important role in the MSC. We are going to great
lengths and taking great pains to harness the power of
information technology. The Government believes that
foreign firms such as Siemens will be able to test all
its ideas on the application of IT not only without
hindrance, but with the support in terms of cost,
infrastructure and policies of the Government.
Siemens could also help Malaysia to be more than just
an assembler of products. Siemens, we believe, can help
us to become the product designers. We will make
available the land, the physical infrastructures, the
fiscal incentives and the soft infrastructure in terms
of Cyberlaws and a determined and disciplined
workforce. But we are shorts of the right technology to
become innovators of multimedia contents and
applications.
10. By being actively involved in the MSC, Siemens
could share its technological know-how with Malaysian
companies for mutual benefit. Siemens can help us
create and develop applications that are culturally
compatible with the various cultures of Asia. Through
the MSC, Siemens can also assist local companies to
intensify their R & D programmes.
11. Apart from its commitment to the MSC, we are also
happy to note that Siemens is the employer for some
7,000 people. Despite the recent financial crisis that
witnessed many foreign and local companies winding up
while millions lost their jobs in some Asian countries,
Siemens has continued to invest in Malaysia. It
testifies to the fact that foreign investors still have
confidence in the Malaysian economy. With our economy
on the road to recovery, we are confident that more and
more foreign investors will invest and re-invest in
Malaysia.
12. Siemens' involvement in the expansion of
Malaysia's infrastructure is indeed welcome. Siemens
has the potential to bring in and develop new
technologies as well as to utilise and blend these
technologies to create and meet new demands as the
industry evolves. Malaysia continues to welcome an
active German economic role in Malaysia. Specifically,
we welcome your trade and investments.
13. Malaysia is keen to attract more investors that
can enhance the development of the high-technology
industries in the country. We hope you will see the
potential of Malaysia - standing at the crossroads of
Asia, confident of its future, determined to achieve
its Vision 2020 - as a reliable and trustworthy
partner. We welcome Siemens and other foreign companies
to join with us in our quest to upgrade our industries.
14. On this note, I have the pleasure to officially
launch Siemens Futurel@b.
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