IDR 2005-2025 Will it suceed this time?

Singapore will have 2 casino up pretty soon by 2010 and Universal Studios theme park. This will draw lots of tourist to Singapore. So the question is how can Johor leverage on this and in the process get the spill over effects from Singapore to boost its economy can generate employment opportunity for Johoreans? It is also during 2006 that Malaysia announced IDR as a flagship develpmenent area similar to MSC Cyberjaya back in the 90s. The reason why Cyberjaya never really took off as fast as we envision is because we lack the critical ICT infrastructure at that time since most of the population is still using dialup and this impedes the growth. I believe we must promote the population to move up the broadband chain and then it will bind seamlessly with the governments effort of a K-Economy. Johor needs to be develop further more efforts should be made to link up JB to have multiple effect on its surrounding. Nusajaya could be what Putrajaya is to KL if it is implemented properly. But the key ingredient is we must make sure the infrastructure is in place and create a safe environment for its residents and investor.


What will happen when WIMAX and 3.5G fully implemented by 2010?

At the rate things are happening by 2010 hopefully we will not need to rely on wired broadband. In Singapore, Qmax is implementing the WIMAX. This is a distruptive technology that will challenge the dominance of the cable and adsl player. IDA plan to speed up the offering to 100 Gbps similar like HK Broadband. Malaysia need to push up the broadband penetration and WIMAX 2.3 GHz and 2.5 Ghz will be a good place to begin since it will challenge the dominance of TM. The price of the package needs to go down to entice more people take up broadband.

IMHO by 2010 the economy of Singapore and Malaysia will enter a new phase since both country are liberalising the finance and services industry. Both country need to complement one another and integrate trade, transportation and economy. Hopefully we can have a more progressive government and ASEAN community as a whole. I am looking forward to the liberalisation of air transport KL-SG-Kuching-KK-Penang, linkages between KLSE and SGX and introduction of high speed rail. Turkey will be the next nation to have high speed rail in 2008 after Taiwan.