K-Economy - Introduction And Background

The Knowledge-based (K) economy research for Malaysia was initiated at the NITC/MIMOS Berhad in October 1998, concurrent with 3 other subject matters, i.e., e-economy, e-commerce and productivity. By December 1998, Dr Wan Latifah discovered that the K-economy shows prominent prospects and needed full attention - she worked under the supervision of Ybhg Dr KJ John, and, the subject matter gains the prime attention and leadership from the CEO and President of MIMOS Berhad who is also the NITC Secretary, Yang Mulia Dato Dr Tengku Azzman Shariffadeen. Incidentally, he had created the Knowledge economy post several months prior to October 1998. Due to the full attention on K-economy needed, the other subject matters was let go off the researcher.

January 1999 was the start of a full-fledged research, by which the content was first presented in April 1999 at the first K-economy workshop. The NITC/MIMOS Berhad had approached the then Deputy Governor, who is now the Governor, of Bank Negara Malaysia, Ybhg Dato Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz to provide the context for the workshop. So the 1st K-economy workshop was held at Bank Negara Malaysia, which marked the first partnership in K-economy, content (NITC/MIMOS Berhad) and context (BNM).

The 1st K-economy workshop addressed the questions as to 'where we are', 'where we want to be (our goal)' and 'how do we get there' in the context of the Malaysian economy. It was at this workshop that the term (K) and (P) economies are coined to contrast the two systems of economies. There were some 70 participants, from the private, government and community interest sectors.

By September 1999, it was felt that at that time the K-economy content was enough to form the basis for it to grow bigger and become the nation's agenda. Again, with the help of Dato Dr Zeti Akhtar, the partnership (between the NITC/MIMOS Berhad) is again strengthened when BNM (together with the Ministry of Finance) obtained the funding for K-economy work to become a nation's agenda and focus in the 21st Century.

The research work at the NITC/MIMOS Berhad continues on. Many new discoveries are made along the line and many more new discoveries are yet to be found. In future, it is anticipated that the convergence between K-economy and K-society will take place, fulfilling the nation's aim to become a K-based nation!

Some of the papers that had been publicized are as follows:

	K-economy and Its Implications (14 pages, PDF file format - 100KB)
	K-economy Paper 1 (35 pages, PDF file format - 97KB)
	K-economy Advanced Paper (49 pages, PDF file format - 228KB)
	K-economy Sarawak Briefing (15 pages, PDF file format - 89KB)

Power-point presentations were numerous covering various aspects from the basic of K-economy to its application to e-commerce, community, inequality and the digital divide.

Looking forward to becoming a K-based nation!

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