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Malaysia Maxis To Invest MYR30M For Local Mobile Content KUALA LUMPUR --Malaysian mobile phone operator Maxis Communications Bhd. (P.MXC) said Friday it will invest 30 million ringgit ($1=MYR3.80) over the next five years to boost its local mobile content and application program. Maxis said it will provide support to content developers to design, develop, test and market their mobile applications and services. "The aim is to assist participants to deliver the most compelling and innovative applications and services to mobile subscribers in Malaysia and other regions, Maxis' Chief Executive Jamaludin Ibrahim said. According to U.S.-based market research and consulting firm Strategy Analytics, revenue from mobile data services in the Asia-Pacific region reached $7.8 billion in 2002. Globally, mobile data revenue will reach $112 billion by 2007, according to the market research firm. "There is no reason why Malaysians cannot emulate the likes of Korea, Japan or China and excel in this sector at least on a regional scale. This is especially true since our local mobile data business is booming," Jamaludin said. Based on Maxis' estimates, last year the mobile data industry in Malaysia generated more than MYR500 million in revenue, and this year it is expected to increase to at least MYR750 million, Jamaludin added. Jamaludin reiterated that Maxis expects its mobile data revenue to grow by more than 50% this year. Last year, Maxis' mobile data revenue was MYR245 million as a result of 1.4 billion billable short message system, or SMS, transactions. There are about 100-120 mobile content developers in Malaysia of which about 40 are working with Maxis, Jamaludin said. However, only few of the available applications are indigenous. "Very few of the available applications are locally developed for the local market by local companies," Jamaludin added. With the content development program in place, Jamaludin said Maxis aims to recruit at least 100 developers by the end of 2005.