Shelve the Computing Professionals Bill 2011 and focus on opening up procurement programmes, DAP national publicity secretary Tony Pua told the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) today.


 Pua said the introduction of the "Board of Computing Professionals" as a regulating body would only stifle an industry that has so far fared well without regulation.


 <img align="right" alt="NONE" height="241" src="http://mk-cdn.mkini.net/415/1424b7a9864ff0b566b1f050aa88c3ec.jpg" width="260"/>
 He welcomed Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Maximus Ongkili's readiness to discard the Bill if the industry could find its own development model.


 Concerted liberal policies would help the industry much more than "the half-baked idea of setting up a Board of Computing Professionals", Pua, who is also the MP for Petaling Jaya Utara, said in a statement.


 The ministry should also tackle the "unequal playing field" in the procurement of computer-related products and services by the government and government-linked companies.


 He expressed concern that local lT companies would find it extremely difficult to excel locally or internationally without a foothold in this biggest sector of the industry.


 
 'Misguided attempt to shackle talent'
 
 
 The Bill, he said, "is a misguided attempt to further shackle Malaysian computing talents" and "will only lead to further mediocrity and a loss of skills to other countries".
 
 
 Another dilemma, he said, was the high unemployment numbers among graduates in computer sciences, with the demand for information technology professionals in the country remaining unfilled.
 
 
 The ministry should look into working with the Ministry of Higher Education to improve the quality of university training programmes, Pua added.
 
 
 A draft of the Bill posted online on Dec 8 has caused outrage among computer industry professionals.
 
 
 According to the published draft of the Bill, only those registered with the board will be able to work in the industry, leaving freelancers and self-trained professions out in the cold.
 
 
 Reacting to the widespread criticism of the Bill, minister Ongkili said yesterday that the Bill "can still be changed or put on hold if the public or industry players do not support it".
 
 
 
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As a regulating body, the Board of Computing Professionals will only  stifle an industry that has fared well thus far, says DAP's Tony  Pua.


'Half-baked computing board means greater mediocrity'

~RM12

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