The federal government today admitted that it facilitated the Computing Professionals Bill 2011 at the behest of multinational companies and industry leaders, while the detractors were small IT companies and self-taught IT practitioners.
At a press conference today, Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) Minister Maximus Johnity Ongkili said the move was not mooted by the federal government.
"Mosti is just the facilitator, the industry demanded it. The original idea was from the industry’s key stakeholders," Ongkili said.
Other than the multinational companies, he said, academicians and computer science graduates were also supportive of the Bill, which seeks to regulate the IT industry through a Board of Computing Professionals Malaysia (BCPM).
Ongkili’s press conference comes a day after its ‘open day’ on the Bill, which saw industry leaders defending the Bill against a group of angry IT practitioners who bombarded them with a long list of questions.
The detractors claimed that the law was vague in many areas, provided the minister with too much powers, was subject to abuse, would be a money-making scheme and that the stringent requirements for IT qualifications stipulated would stifle the industry.
Ongkili said that the stiff resistance is not totally unexpected as this is part of the engagement process and must be weathered through.
Board to define CNII
Asked about allegations that the proposed Bill would only benefit big businesses by creating an 'exclusive club' of big boys that will dominate the business, Ongkili downplayed the matter.
"We appreciate their concern... But to say that it would favour certain groups? (Its not correct) as minimum standards exist in any other professions to, and we shall let the industry decide what the standards are," assured the minister.
He also stressed that he believed, a board backed up by the power of law is needed to regulate the industry, as favoured by big businesses, to give it both bite and legal standing.
Though he said that the small IT entrepreneurs may ask for an association under ROS without any legislation behind it if they believe it is better, at the same time saying that he doubt how effective such a body would be.
Ongkili also insists that the Bill is beneficial to the industry as a whole as it would serve to uplift the IT profession.
On the matter of the Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), Ongkili said that the proposed board to regulate the industry will have leeway to come up with its own definition of what it means as currently the Bill only touches vaugely on the subject.
Quizzed if this will conflict with excisting Chief Government Security Office which had purview to define CNII as per national security guidelines, Ongkili said that this is not so.
He argued that the board, once formed, will decide on the specific ambit of authority on information systems security and several other parameters on regulating the industry as they see fit.
The minister also waved aside concerns over the online media being defined as a CNII.
would the minister Maximus care to name the BIG players that demanded the bill be enacted to protect their playing field???.... who are the key stakeholders???... Maybe the end users would like to stake a claim too... BOYCOTT THOSE ASS-HOLEs
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