Lailatul Qadr.

Assalamualaikum w.b.t...

Alhamdulillah. We have reached another day of Ramadhan. Already 23th Ramadhan. Masa berlalu dengan pantas :(

The night of power is found in these ten nights and its value is more than 1000 months. It is called as Lailatul Qadr :) Lailatul Qadr is upon us in these ten nights of Ramadhan. So, let's us try to make sure we up our worship in these ten nights. May Allah always grant us with happiness and blessings. InsyaAllah.

Lailatul Qadr doa's ,

"The fasting person will feel two moment of joy. One moment when he breaks his fast and another when meets his Lord." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari) 

5th article, IPTS : ISSUES: Desperately seeking IT grads

TALENT HUNT: The need for Information Technology workers is acute and experts say the sector offers good career prospects for Malaysian youth.

A student pores over a Facebook account. As technology becomes part and parcel of students’ life, they see little difference between being a user and a producer

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MOHD Syamil Afiq Mohd Fadzil has been playing computer games since primary school.

So, choosing a career related to Information Technology (IT) was a natural progression for him.
 “I enjoyed being around the computer and playing with it, which is why I wanted to find work that is connected to computing,” says the 24-year-old, who graduated this year with a Diploma in Information Technology from Kuala Lumpur Infrastructure  University College.

Judging by recent statistics, Malaysia certainly needs more young people like Mohd Syamil Afiq to fill vacancies in Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
The MSC Malaysia Talent Supply Demand Study 2010-2013 — Final Report reveals that the number of IT graduates has declined by 0.6 per cent and will not be enough to meet industry’s demand next year.
The problem stems from a mismatch between the number of available IT graduates and what industry really needs, says Rototype International chief executive officer
Harres Tan.

If this persists, vendors will not hesitate to “scale down (their) business or move to where the talents are”.
Tan, who is also an adviser to the National ICT Association of Malaysia (Pikom), said this at the recent launch of the Industry Advisory Board (IAB) of HELP University’s Department of Information Technology.
IAB members comprise senior industrialists, IT professionals and academics.

Chaired by Tan, the board was established to strengthen ties with industry and ensure that IT programmes offered at the university arm students with relevant skills.
HELP University vice chancellor and president Datuk Paul Chan Tuck Hoong says the launch “would facilitate linkages between the institution and industry to provide internships for undergraduates and graduates, and expose students to entrepreneurial projects”.

The ICT industry is one of the fastest growing segments of Malaysia’s economy.

According to Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC), the sector is likely to grow at an average annual rate of 10 per cent, creating some 160,000 ICT jobs by 2015.
As Muhammad Imran Kunalan Abdullah, MDeC general manager (Head of Talent), puts it: “Having enough employable IT graduates is crucial for industry, so the notion (that it is hard for IT graduates to get jobs) is untrue.”
Yet he cautions that the high demand for IT graduates does not mean that every student with the qualification will find jobs.
“We need to find out if they are of quality or not,” says Muhammad Imran.
 

To be employed, IT graduates must be adept in 10 skill clusters, among which are software development, database and networking and security.
“Each has different sub-skill sets. It is a fast-moving industry where what is required now can become obsolete after a few years,” he adds.
The lack of interest in IT among secondary schoolchildren is a worrying trend.

The MSC Malaysia report showed a decline of 11 per cent in the number of students pursuing the subject at tertiary level.
This is not surprising as out of 100 teens who attended MDeC’s ICT boot camp, only five showed interest in such careers.
Satish Ganesh, for one, seems unfazed by the fact that he stands to earn a starting salary of more than RM2,000 a month as an IT
graduate.

His short stint in IT during the long school holidays three years ago did not develop into a passion for the field.

“It was a part-time job troubleshooting minor computer problems at a transport company,” says the fifth-former.
“Getting the job was a coincidence because my friend alerted me to the vacancy and I wanted to fill my time during the break,” adds Satish, who spends an average of four hours a day online checking his emails and Facebook account as well as reading about wildlife.

He did consider an IT-related career for a while but lost interest in the idea when he joined the Junior Cadet uniformed body in school.
“I love the discipline and order of the uniformed body and I’m aiming for a career in that direction,”
he adds.
 Muhammad Imran is not surprised by Satish’s change of heart.

“Everyone is an expert at using technology at that age. It is already a part and parcel of their life, so they don’t see the difference between being a user and a producer,” he says.
 IAB co-chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah says that the board can concentrate on “getting students to dream of building a future company like Apple or Google in Malaysia”.
“Social content e-commerce is not well recognised compared to pure software development (in Malaysia) but it is growing fast and students can tap into this,” he adds.

He cites the example of social games services developer Zynga, which produces Facebook game applications such as FarmVille and has 240 million users on the social networking site.
The company is now worth about US$15 billion (RM45 billion).

Ganesh is confident that those who take advantage of the social content market will enjoy good pay.

“(Social content e-commerce) is consumer-driven, so a company (involved in this) can grow exponentially,” says Ganesh.

IT course providers must ensure their curriculum is up to date, if more Malaysians were to become social content producers, says Tan.

“By collaborating with the board, HELP University will be able to keep its teaching staff and students up to speed on the developments within the IT industry.
“IT is still one of the most financially rewarding careers and its graduates are still very much in demand, provided they have the right skill set,” he adds.

4th article, IPTS : Undergraduate Focus: Getting ahead in technology, computers

INFORMATION and Communications Technology (ICT) has become an integral part of life in this century and the development of information technology has an impact on the basic concept of literacy and the teaching and learning on campus.

 

University College Shahputra (UCSA) is currently conducting various technology and computer skills programmes to enhance the level of ICT knowledge and skills among students.

Among the programmes on offer are Bachelor of Information Technology, Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Engineering), Diploma in Information Technology, Diploma in Interactive Multimedia and Diploma in Software Development.

UCSA also offers two degree programmes in technology and computers — Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Engineering) with Honours.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Information Technology can go on to work as IT project managers, systems administrators, officers with the government, network administrators, systems analysts, programmers, web administrators,  database administrators or educators.

Graduates of Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Engineering), on the other hand, can apply for jobs such as software engineers (application/systems), systems analysts, project managers, lecturers, web designers, programmers, computer games software developers or computer network officers.

3rd article, IPTS : Postgraduate: Mixing IT, business

The Master of Business Information Systems (MBIS) offers a unique take for students to gain a mature understanding of business information systems to a new level of depth and sophistication. 

The course, which is in its first year of commencement at Monash University Sunway campus (applications close 24 Feb), has been introduced in Malaysia to meet the demand among career professionals who want to understand how the field of business is influenced by information technology.

Thus, the MBIS is a flexible master’s degree open to students from any educational or professional background. The course is particularly suited for those wishing to advance their career in IT management, applications development, information systems, business consultancy and knowledge management.

The Master of Business Information Systems will provide students with the knowledge, understanding and experiences to deal with rapid changes in the IT field.

Students of the course must compete completion four foundation IT units and at least one four-unit specialisation selected from: Business application development, Business intelligence, Business systems, Corporate information and knowledge management, Enterprise systems, Library, archival and recordkeeping systems or Project management; plus electives.

In today’s mammoth corporate world, IT leadership positions require technological expertise, management skills and a knack for fostering innovation.

Using the smart phone as an example -  it takes various aspects of IT and engineering to design the parts of the smart phone that one may not even consider. For example, computer science makes the touch screen work, information architecture designs the menu, while information technology creates the applications.

When a student graduates with the MBIS postgraduate degree in hand, they would have picked up experiences that transcended technologies, making them well-placed to deal with on-going and rapid chances in the field of information technology.

Students may also exit the programme after completing four specific units, with a Graduate or Postgraduate Certificate in Business Information Systems, or after completing eight specific units, leave with a Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma in Business Information Systems.

The School of Information Technology at Monash University Sunway campus prides itself on an industry-relevant curriculum that similarly offers a global perspective.
Researchers at the school are made up of academics from around the globe with solid and recognised qualifications, and who are well-experienced in research-based teaching.

The highly flexible course structure opens up a variety of career opportunities. Graduates of the program will be expected to play leading professional roles in the field locally and overseas.

2nd article, IPTS : Undergraduate Focus: A vast IT world awaits

INFORMATION technology has become a significant component of world economic activity and is recognised as a major economic resource. Organisations have grown to view their information resources as strategic assets, utilising these resources as an instrument in enhancing the country’s competitiveness in industry and international trade. Traditionally, major organisational assets were classified as human, financial, material, equipment and management resources.

In order to enhance information technology, University College Shahputra (UCSA) through its Faculty of Information and Interactive Technology (FIIT) is passionate in research, teaching and learning in the computer science, information technology and multimedia fields.

Students can choose to major in computer science, information technology or multimedia and will acquire problem solving skills that are needed in the working world.

To gain entry into the Bachelor in Information Technology and Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) Software Engineering programmes, students can apply through three options. The first option is through a recognised matriculation or foundation with CGPA 2.0 and a credit in mathematics at the SPM or SPMV level.

The second option is entry with an STPM or A-Level with two full passes or equivalent qualification or equivalent with minimum CGPA of 2.0. The third option is entry with a diploma. The last option is entry with any other diploma with a minimum CGPA of 2.5, and a credit in mathematics at SPM/SPMV levels.

Graduates from the Bachelor in Information Technology programme can apply for jobs as project managers, systems administrators, IT officers, network administrators, systems analysts, programmers, webmasters, educators or even database administrators.

Graduates from Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons) Software Engineering can find employment as software engineers (application/system), systems analysts, project managers, educators, web designers, games programmers, software/web developers, and business/system engineers.

UCSA also offers diploma programmes including the Diploma in Information Technology, Diploma in Interactive Multimedia and Diploma in Software Development.

To gain entry into the Diploma in Information Technology programme, students must obtain at least three credits including mathematics. The second option is through entry with STPM or A-levels qualification with at least one principal pass in any subject and a credit in mathematics at SPM or SPMV levels. The last option is entry with a technical, vocational or computing certificate or equivalent qualification with one year of relevant work experience or one semester of a bridging programme.

For the Diploma in Interactive Multimedia programme, students must pass their SPM with at least three credits in any subject and a pass in arts.  For applicants without an arts qualification, they must pass an interview session, drawing test or portfolio review.

Students interested in the Diploma in Software Development programme, must obtain at least three credits including mathematics. They can also gain entry with an STPM or A-levels qualification with at least one principal in any subject and a credit in mathematics at SPM or SPMV levels. The last option is entry with a technical or vocational or computing certificate or equivalent recognised qualification coupled with one year of relevant working experience or one semester of a bridging programme.

1st article, IPTS : Pixels: Bargains galore at camera expo

VELOCITY Media Sdn Bhd recently organised the Digital Camera, Imaging and Media Show 2011 (DCIM Show 2011) at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur. Exhibitors included major brands such as Canon, Fujifilm Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic and Samsung, and accessories players such as Lowepro, Kingston and Sandisk.

(From left) AC Ryan Asia Pacific regional sales manager Larry Yeo, Ideatools Technology’s business manager Khoo Swee Khean, and Promise Technology’s product manager Arthur Chang showing off the new products.

The side events comprised Velocity Angel Search model search contest, seminars and workshops helmed by photography professionals and a photo exhibition.
Lucky visitors who registered their MyKad at the Velocity Media booth also walked away with attractive prizes.

Engineering student wins video contest

UNITEN mechanical engineering student Keng Cheng Yoong emerged as winner of the “What’s Your Story?” Video Competition organised by Trend Micro recently.

His thriller video on online safety beat more than 200 other submissions and garnered the most number of “Likes” on Trend Micro’s Facebook page. Keng took home RM5,000 for his effort.

His video, which was shot in his hometown of Teluk Intan during a semester break, features a teenage girl who falls victim to a stalker, who follows her status and location detail through social networking.
First runner-up was Web designer Jason Goh while professional photographer Geh Chee Minh took the second runner-up spot. They received RM1,000 and RM500 respectively.

New tech tools for digital living

IDEATOOLS Technology Sdn Bhd has introduced a new range of high-end products to help consumers embrace the digital lifestyle. These include the Thunderbolt-ready Pegasus R4 and R6 high performance RAID storage solution from Taiwan-based hardware company Promise Technology, Inc. The Pegasus line is capable of delivering over 800 MB/s of bandwidth, which is 12 times faster than USB 2.0.

The Pegasus R4, which is a 4-bay solution and the R6 (6-bay solution) are designed to suit small servers, creative pro workstations, power users and consumers who require high capacity external storage. Prices of the two models without hard disk are RM2,500 and RM3,790 respectively.

Meanwhile the Veolo Smart Android Hub is an advanced media player based on Android 2.2 Froyo platform. Designed to bring enhanced functionalities to the simple television with browser, apps and games, this product is priced at RM859. Under the SmartStor NSX700 series, the two models NS4700 and NS6700 are priced at RM2,699 and RM3,749 respectively.

5th article, IPTA : Students benefit from seminar on postgrad studies

JOHOR BARU: A three-day seminar on postgraduate studies organised by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and the Higher Education Ministry was a mine of information for the participants.

Masters student Noor Aida Husaini, who is studying information technology, said it provided detailed information that helped the participants be clear about their future paths and what they could do with a post-graduate degree. 

“I recommend it to all university students so that they can gain first-hand information from the lecturers and professors,” she said. 

Zaid Ali, from Iraq, who is pursuing a mechanical engineering post- graduate degree at UTHM, said the event could entice more foreign students to Malaysia. 

“The professors were informative and the discussions were engaging, touching on topics like strategies to enhance the postgraduate experience,” he said. 

His friend and fellow countryman Sinan Abood, said the seminar was especially helpful as he was in the first semester of the civil engineering post-graduate programme. 

“I hope there will be more events like this to help new students,” he said. 

Meanwhile, UTHM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Noh Dalimin said that graduates should take advantage of such seminars as it enabled them to learn from various lecturers and academicians. 

“This seminar also aims to gauge the response to certain post-graduate courses and programmes,” he added.

4th article, IPTA : USM develops a better tool to fight hackers Read more: USM develops a better tool to fight hackers

Computer system able to detect and track online intrusion

 

UNIVERSITI Sains Malaysia has come up with a computer system that can detect and track online hackers.

Called the Forensic Analysis and Discovery System (FADS), it will help in cyber crime investigations.

USM senior computer science lecturer Dr Aman Jantan said FADS is a digital crime monitoring system, designed to help computer forensic agents to extract evidence from a network's system for analysis.

"The problem with digital evidence is that it can disappear fast," he said.

"For example, if a person hacks into a bank account and a report is lodged, from where can the authorities obtain proof?.

"This is among the problems that we are trying to solve."

Aman said unlike other network analysers like "Wireshark" and "Snort" that only detect cyber attacks, FADS could analyse networks, detect intrusions as well as serving as a forensic tool.

FADS could examine and identify evidence from the suspicious network activity in an organisation's network system or IT infrastructure.

It could also help the military collect and collate data on hackers and even spies in terms of national security.

"The data for the processes are extracted from the network packets of the organisation as well as the system logs.

"The data will be further analysed and classified using special engines developed to detect various types of cyber attacks on the system."

FADS has been well-received by government agencies, including the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

It also won a silver medal in the Malaysian Technology Expo by the Malaysian Research Scientist Association and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry last February.

A report from CyberSecurity Malaysia revealed an 88 per cent spike in cyber crime with over 15,218 cases reported last year.

CyberSecurity Malaysia's chief executive officer Lt Col (R) Husin Jazri said over RM116 million in damages had been incurred in the last two years due to online crime.

"Internet users should never let their guard down when surfing online. Although sharing is caring, over-sharing private information is carelessness," he said.

Husin added that various programmes were available to assist Malaysians fight the growing cyber crime threat.

The Cyber 999 Help Centre launched in 1997 by the Malaysian Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) provides a channel for people to report cyber incidents.

"People can make reports and will be assisted by a team of experts 24 hours a day," he said.

Husin said CyberSecurity Malaysia was open to collaborative efforts with the private sector in its outreach programme CyberSAFE.

He said the current CyberSAFE in school programmes had been well received by the Education Ministry in educating school children on Internet safety measures.

"We will also continue focusing on talent incubation programmes to promote partnerships with local universities to develop cyber security related courses."

3rd article, IPTA : CAREERS: Students as partners

INSTITUTIONS of higher learning are responding to the learning and social habits of 

Generation Y (Gen Y).

Vice chancellors now use social networking tools to communicate with students

 

”The days are gone when undergraduates feel distant from their vice chancellors, for example. Now, vice chancellors are using social networking tools such as Facebook (FB) to communicate with students,” says Associate Professor Dr

Roshidi Hassan, who lectures at Universiti Teknologi Mara’s (UiTM) Faculty of Business Management.

Roshidi, who researches into the attitudes and work habits of Gen Y in Malaysia who were born between 1980 and 1995, says his faculty has implemented changes in the learning system.

The Business Management Faculty tailored its curriculum to the learning style of young people five years ago to factor in their preference for learning by doing, working in teams and sharing findings from their research in presentations.

The faculty sends its students to companies to learn about their problems.

They later act as consultants and advise those organisations on how to overcome their difficulties.

”Gen Y students want to apply the theory that they have learned and they take ownership of their knowledge seriously.

”Students find this type of learning more enjoyable and meaningful than sitting in lectures,” says Roshidi, adding that academicians are now facilitators of learning rather than lecturers.

Gen Y’s affinity with technology means that they expect state-of-the-art facilities on campus.

“You  will notice better Internet connection and information and communications technology tools in the classroom.

Universities have also begun offering study tours and internship opportunities abroad to appeal to Gen Y’s love of travel and learning about other cultures.

“Students now are adventurous and they will compete for the chance to gain international exposure.”

They love nothing more than to be given the chance to be heard.

”The vice chancellor’s FB page is a hit with the students because it is one of the places where they feel they can voice out their opinions.”

Roshidi believes universities which have yet to hop on the social networking bandwagon will lose out. ”The trend is to treat students as partners,” he adds.

2nd article, IPTA : Software training course for UTM final-year students

JOHOR BARU: One hundred undergraduates of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia will have the opportunity to enrol in a software education programme, which is a joint effort between the university, Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn Bhd and Technology Education Leader Sdn Bhd.

Dr Zaini Ujang (centre) with Technology Education Leader Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Ibrahim Tahmby Chik (left) and Asean Hewlett-Packard Software director Ivan Ng at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding ceremony. Pic by Roslan Khamis

  UTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang said the programme would be offered to final-year students of the Computer Science and Information System Faculty, who would be finishing their studies in June.

  Students who are interested to take part in the six-week programme will undergo a "screening test" to ensure that they are qualified.

  "This programme was introduced to enhance the marketability of our graduates.

  "The two companies taking part in the programme will be monitoring the performance of the participants and, if necessary, help them to secure employment after their graduation," said Zaini, who was representing UTM at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding ceremony.

  Hewlett-Packard and Technology Education will provide the industrial and software training and teaching personnel.

  "This kind of cooperation will help to enhance the quality of our graduates in meeting the demands of the computer software industry," said Zaini.

  "We are also hoping that this programme will be the start of further cooperation with other    companies in field, such as the setting up of a software testing lab and other joint programmes."

1st article, IPTA : World engineering congress to be held in KL

KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) is organising the World Engineering, Science, and Technology Congress 2012 (ESTCON 2012) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from June 12 to 14. 

Themed "Towards Sustainability: Bridging Engineering, Technology and Humanities", the congress stresses the bridging of all communities of experts in research and innovation in sustaining knowledge for the betterment of the society, a UTP statement said.

It will serve as the centre stage for knowledge sharing, intellectual discussion and networking on various areas of interest, for academicians, researchers, scientists, engineers, interest groups and industry experts worldwide.

The conference will be opened by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin and will be closed by Energy, Green Technology and Water minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui.

The three-day congress, is in partnership with the Higher Education Ministry, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry and the UTP Foundation.

Those interested can contact the organiser at The Secretariat, World Engineering, Science and Technology Congress (EASTCON 2012), Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Bandar Seri Iskandar, 31750 Tronoh, Perak.