MSTB out to develop home-grown software testing industry
By Digital News Asia June 18, 2013
- Invites Malaysian ICT companies to join its vendor development programme, the Malaysia Software Testing Hub
- Development of cluster companies one of key components in bigger plan to establish a sustainable software testing ecosystem
THE Malaysian Software Testing Board (MSTB) is inviting Malaysian ICT (Information and Communications Technology) companies keen to venture into the high-value software testing business to join its vendor development programme.
Called the Malaysia Software Testing Hub (MSTH) cluster development programme, the initiative is a collaboration between the private and public sectors under the purview of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister's Department.
MSTB has been entrusted to spearhead the MSTH planning and implementation, it said in a statement.
“Our software testing industry is still at an infancy stage – there is a need for a strong understanding of the fundamentals in order to have a good chance to succeed,” said MSTB president Mastura Abu Samah (pic).
“MSTB is able to provide insights and support for those fundamentals as the ‘backbone’ for these companies to do well in software testing,” she added.
Initially, 15 companies will be selected to participate. The programme will provide accelerated development in areas such as enhancing their test capability, professional competency and institutionalisation of internationally-recognised software testing processes. Participants will also be guided through the phases of the software testing business.
Interested companies are invited apply to participate in the programme and applicants will be required to submit a viable business plan as one of the criteria for selection.
“MSTB is looking for companies with a strong business objective and goals. We want business organisations with the right vision and attitude because we will want to have a long-term working relationship with these home-grown cluster companies,” said Mastura.
Development of the cluster companies is one of the key components in the bigger plan to establish a sustainable software testing ecosystem in Malaysia, the ultimate objective of the MSTH initiative.
In turn, the ecosystem is positioned to help transform the country into a destination for high-value software testing services, based on strategic partnerships with domestic and international clients.
MSTH cluster companies will also be able to brand themselves a Q-Laboratory (Q-Lab) partner, which will give them the privilege to leverage Q-Lab facilities as a business partner and participate in MSTB's international promotional and branding activities.
Q-Lab is an advanced, state-of-the-art testing facility capable of supporting high-end, international standard testing works and activities, MSTB said.
Established under the MSTH initiative, Q-Lab is manned by highly certified professional test practitioners, governed by internationally recognised processes, and capitalises on the state-of-the-art testing technologies.
The MSTH initiative was rolled out in 2009 as a concerted effort to develop the software testing industry as a new source of economic growth for the nation. Market projections for the global software testing services have been increasing from year to year.
More recently, IDC in a presentation to the EPU in April projected that the worldwide discrete testing services to be worth just under US$30 billion.
To reach out to potential candidates, MSTB will be holding a series of briefings to explain the MSTH programme. The next briefing will be held in Kuala Lumpur on June 20, 2013 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, followed by in Johor Baru (on June 21 at Menara Cyberport) and Kuching (on June 29 at the Merdeka Palace Hotel and Suites).
For further information, please contact or Fara Zainuddin at [email protected] or A. Shukor Rahman at [email protected].
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