More government agencies expected to shift to Cyberjaya

WITH the recent entry of several non ICT-based government and government-linked companies (GLCs), like the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Manage­ment Planning Unit (Mampu) and the Public Services Department (PSD), Cyberjaya is slowly moving away from being a information communication technology (ICT) hub.

The intelligent city was created to complement the newly launched Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in 1997, but with the recent launch of the MKN purpose-built buildings at the MKN Embassy Techzone, more government agencies are expected to make Cyberjaya their preferred address.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, who launched Block D of the MKN Embassy project, said that ideally, Cyberjaya should be an ICT hub but one had be willing to change in order to survive in the light of the uncertain global climate.

“We must change to enjoy a business presence within an ecosystem,” he added.

Sidek said he was happy that MKN and the Embassy Group of India, which had a 40% stake in the project, were bringing about balanced development in Cyberjaya.

Purpose-built: Sidek (left) launching the MKN Embassy Techzone in Cyberjaya.

Emkay Group executive chairman Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal said the MKN Embassy Techzone project, consisting of two phases of development, would encompass a campus-like concept to provide a conducive working environment for the knowledge workers

“We hope with the completion of the project, more government agencies, including ICT companies, both local and foreign, would make the Cyberjaya Flagship Zone (CFZ) their business address.

Mustapha said the strategy was to lease the buildings first and then sell them.

He said that since last year, Emkay had sold Blocks A and B to Amanah Raya Bhd and were in the process of selling Block C to another government agency.

Phase One will consist of of four office blocks with a total floor space of 250,000 sq ft (23,226 sq m) and will be completed early next year, while Phase Two, with six office blocks comprising a total floor space of two million square feet (185,806 sq m) is expected to be completed within the next five years.

The Embassy Group of India is involved in the construction of office buildings mainly in Bangalore, and to date it has provided a total floor space of 19 million square feet (1,765,150 sq m) for ICT giants like IBM, Microsoft, Sun-Microsystem, Fidelity, Target and ANZ Bank.

The Star Online