Multimedia Super Corridor

McDaniel explains how media technology affects government and the press. In the case study of Malaysia, during the IT boom, McDaniel notes that “the more technologically advanced countries in Southeast Asia launched expansive projects aimed at developing regional technology leadership, fashioning their nations as hubs for new information media.” It was at that time; Dr. Mahathir embarked and used the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project as a stepping-stone towards achieving Vision 2020. Authorities even hoped that this extensive plan would mimic the success of California’s Silicon Valley by producing intellectual property in Cyberjaya in Malaysia (McDaniel 2002).

(google map created and saved under Multimedia Super Corridor)

Unfortunately, there was insufficient modal in Malaysia for these expansive projects; it was crucial to gain support from foreign investment. Dr. Mahathir proposed involvement in the MSC to numerous U.S firms in 1995. Having been a “frequent critic to Westerns news of his country and of Western cultural products such as films and television programs”, Mahathir faced instant rejection (McDanial 2002).

As written in the post before:

Wong (2004) noted that Mahathir felt that globalization was a threat to Malaysia’s national identity as he called on “Malaysians to be 'suspicious' of and 'beware' globalisation”.

With that, Mahathir understood that the only way to place Malaysia, as a “regional hub” would have to offer reassurance to prospective investors that MSC would become “a zone of open and free information access”(McDaniel 2002). Additionally, Azmi (2003) states in Content Regulation in Malaysia:

This assurance was embodied in section 3 (3) of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 that states “nothing in this Act shall be construed as permitting the censorship of the Internet.

References

Azmi, I. M. (2003). Content Regulation in Malaysia – Unleashing Missiles on Dangerous Websites, 18th BILETA Conference: Controlling Information in the Online Environment, viewed 6th July 2009

McDaniel, D. (200) Southeast Asia’s electronically charged media revolution, Nieman Reports, 56,2; Research Library pp. 63