Malaysian Content Developers Get Mobile Funding

Malaysia's Maxis Multimedia says that it will invest some US$8 million over the next five years in its Maxis Developer Programme ("MDP") to build a community of local mobile content and application developers. To achieve this, MDP will provide support to developers to design, develop, test, and market their mobile applications and services The aim is to assist MDP participants to deliver the most compelling and innovative applications and services to mobile subscribers in Malaysia and other regions.

Speaking at MDP's launch which was officiated today by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission's Chairman, Tan Sri Nuraizah Abdul Hamid, Maxis Multimedia's Chief Executive Officer, Dato' Jamaludin Ibrahim said MDP was initiated in response to the exponential growth in mobile data business, both globally and locally.

"According to Strategy Analytics, a US-based market research and consulting firm, revenue from mobile data services in the Asia-Pacific reached US$7.8 billion in 2002. Globally, mobile data revenues will reach US$112 billion by 2007, according to the same firm," he also said.

"There is no reason why Malaysians cannot emulate the likes of Korea, Japan or China and excel in this sector at least on a regional scale. This is especially true since our local mobile data business is booming.

For Maxis, its mobile data traffic grew by over 200% and revenues by about 240% in 2002. The company expects its mobile data revenues to grow by more than 50% this year. More than US$11 million will come from the content business.

Jamaludin said there are approximately 100-120 developers in Malaysia of which about 40 of them are already working with Maxis. However, very few of the available applications are "indigenous," i.e., locally developed for the local market by local companies.

"With MDP, we aim to increase the participation of local content developers and local content. We plan to recruit at least 100 developers by end 2005," he added.

To assist Malaysian developers to be on par with its counterparts in other countries, MDP participants will have access to the MDP's development and test lab; technical assistance; information; experience and business networking within the MDP community; and the opportunity to participate in other associated Maxis partner programmes. MDP's facilities are already being used by its eight pioneer participants.

On top of this, Maxis Multimedia will assist participants to access financing and start-up capital from Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad and other funding sources."

Posted to the site on 18th August 2003