MDEC To Open Big Data Analytics Programme To ASEAN Peers

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) hopes to open its Big Data Analytics (BDA) programme to its ASEAN peers in the quest to work together to spur economic growth in the region. MDEC, which has been tasked with implementing the programme, welcomes the participation of companies from ASEAN member states and hopes the BDA programme will become one of the group's economic pillars. "It is a unique programme as it brings government agencies, as well as small and large companies together," MDEC Chief Executive Officer Yasmin Mahmood told reporters at the close of the MDEC Big Data Training Programme, here Friday. Held in collaboration with the Harvard Business School Executive Education, the four-day BDA programme is aimed at adding value to the participants in order to stay competitive by future-proofing their businesses through the development and adoption of innovative disruptive technologies such as big data analytics. Yasmin said however, before expanding the programme among ASEAN peers, MDEC is getting Malaysian companies, including small and medium enterprises, to embark on the BDA programme. "This is one of the (essential) components to achieve our target of becoming a BDA regional hub by 2020, on top of having 1,500 data scientists from 400 by end-2016," she said. Yasmin said the data scientists would do the mathematical modeling in order to find ways or tools to answer the questions posted by the business community and founders. "We are trying to make sure that the business community and founders start thinking about their business angles and work on how to use their data to gain the competitive edge. "Then, they will team up with the data scientists, who are able to do the mathematical models, and come up with solutions," she said. The BDA programme, which is likely to become a yearly event, was held in association with the Human Resources Development Fund and the Centre of Applied Data Science. MDEC, the one-stop hub for the advancement of Malaysia's businesses digital innovation, has conducted the BDA training on the first batch of 53 C-level participants from key industries, including companies like Petronas, Celcom, Astro, Maxis and Chatime. --BERNAMA