Microsoft turns its wrath to Malaysian Ministries

In a rather ill formed press release published in a Malaysian daily on the 26th of August 2007, the New Straits Times (New Sunday Times edition) carried this story "Ministry still undecided on Open XML". Beside the obvious factual blunders in the story, the subtext is rather interesting.

But first, let us get the facts straight.

In the article it states that

"The Open XML document software has been recognised by the private sector and endorsed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi."

Open XML is NOT supposed to be a "document software". However since the latest Microsoft Office 2007 is the ONLY "document software" available to produce and consume "Open XML" documents, the reporter is by accident, correct about "Open XML". That is why it should always be referred to as  "Microsoft Office Open XML" or MSOOXML.

MSOOXML is NOT recognised by the private sector. FMM (Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers), MNCC (Malaysian National Computer Confederation), MDeC (Multimedia Development Corporation) and PIKOM (Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia) have voted against MSOOXML. There is not support for MSOOXML in the private sector except the support from Microsoft Business Partners, who obviously have a few licenses of MsOffice 2007 to flog off.

About the endorsement by Malaysia's own Prime Minister; that's just stretching the truth. Here's more information from the article:

"The Open XML system rose to prominence in May when Microsoft Malaysia, in partnership with the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), undertook to develop a system for producers of halal goods and services to carry out their activities on the Internet.
Abdullah had witnessed the exchanging of documents for the project between HDC chief executive officer Datuk Jamal Bidin and Microsoft Malaysia managing director Yasmin Mahmood."

HDC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft with Microsoft's intention to develop a portal system for HDC. Whether HDC was to fund for the development, we do not know, but considering that the name of the system which was labeled "Malaysian International Halal Hub Open XML System" does not seem to originate from HDC.

Additionally, the MoU was all about "defining the scope of the project and method of implementation before deciding on these matters." This begs the question: why decide on a system which "will be based on the Open XML document standard" BEFORE the scope and method of implementation was decided?

Basing a modern B2B e-commerce transactional application on a File Based back end is just so 1980's! It is like running e-bay on DBase ][!

So the name was inserted into the MoU by the Microsoft Marketing people, to gain "face value" of MSOOXML with our Prime Minister, and leverage opportunities such as this. Also to impress upon weak minded people.

Which do you think is more likely:

1. HDC signs up with Microsoft because they want their portal system to be based on an immature, file-based and vendor restricted File Format in MSOOXML, or
2. HDC signs up with Microsoft because Microsoft is willing to fund the development of this portal system in exchange for Marketing value?

Cynical or just plain practical?

Technically, MSOOXML is a poor choice for an Islamic Halal Hub. The NetWorkDays function in MSOOXML calculates the number of work days within a certain date period. Secular countries like Malaysia will not have a problem with this (except for states like Kelantan), but some Islamic countries base their "weekends" around Friday, their day of prayer, and their calculations will be inaccurate.

Their weekends are not "Saturday and Sunday" as the American creators of MSOOXML experience. Users in Tel-Aviv might have Friday and Saturday off, while in Cairo users have Thursday and Friday as their weekend.

MSOOXML is a very Western defined file format, which does not take into consideration the cultural adaptability of its users. It ignores the sensitivities of a billion Muslim users worldwide.

So what does this say of the "Malaysian International Halal Hub Open XML System" when it forces its users to use the American weekend system? How will users of different cultures interoperate?

 

Here's another sentence which needs elaborating:

"The Open XML system rose to prominence in May ..."

Actually it rose in "prominence" in February when Malaysia voted it down at the ISO contradiction period. It then rose in infamy in March when Malaysia's and 14 other National Bodies' concerns were not addressed by Ecma. Subsequent manipulation of National Bodies worldwide has exposed countries with weak standards governance. The ISO process is being put through a lot of pressure, and the results in the next few weeks will prove if it can weather a crisis of vendor manipulation.

Attack on Malaysia's Ministries
The fact that the article has some basic mistakes (for example the issue of awarding ISO 9001 status to Microsoft, instead of the Approval of ISO/IEC DIS 29500 by Malaysia) shows that the journalist is not an expert in this matter. Additionally it's not like a journalist to report on esoteric matters such as standardisations of a particular vendor's product. The press release must have come from a source who has the interest to get this matter in National News to apply pressure to certain parties to get a desired outcome.

It is not like the New Straits Times to be critical of the Government. So it is extremely abnormal to read sentences like this:

"Despite this, the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry appears to be dragging its feet over an application to support the award of ISO 9001:2000 standard for the Open XML."

The newspaper is actually criticising the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation (MoSTI) and directly, the Minister himself, Y.B. Dato' Seri Jamaludin Jarjis for non-performance. Not only that, the insinuation that the PM already endorses MSOOXML is a double blow to the reputation of the Minister in-charge.

Microsoft appears to be applying public pressure on this matter even though this issue is not being delayed. NB's have another week before submitting the vote. Malaysia's ISC-G (equivalent to America's INCITS) will be deliberating this week as pre-scheduled. The Technical Committee for E-Commerce (TC4: equivalent to America's INCITS-V1) had already voted a 9:1 vote against MSOOXML back in February.

TC4 was not called to make a subsequent vote this time, although since the spec has not changed, and the issues not resolved, the vote should be the same. This could make the work at ISC G (Industry Standards Committee G, the committee above TC4) more difficult. So, to MoSTI's defence, there is no "dragging of feet".

This pressure probably comes from the failure of last two weeks' peculiarities in Malaysia. It looks like Microsoft has exhausted the utility of its strategic partners and in its desperation to achieve its KPI's, they are now going all out and apparently burning bridges in the process. As many have said, the standardisation of MSOOXML is absolutely crucial for Microsoft and they are willing to achieve it at all costs!

Their worldwide campaign has been brutal with many Experts, Committee Members, National Bodies, Ministries, Ministers and Countries' reputations tarnished.

yk.

p.s. Yusseri has a lighthearted take on this issue too! "How low can you go?"

Ministry still undecided on Open XML
By : Lee Shi-Ian

KUALA LUMPUR: The Open XML document software has been recognised by the private sector and endorsed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Despite this, the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry appears to be dragging its feet over an application to support the award of ISO 9001:2000 standard for the Open XML.

As one of the 32 full participating members of the Geneva-based International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Malaysia has to vote whether to support, decline or abstain against the awarding of ISO status.

The Open XML system rose to prominence in May when Microsoft Malaysia, in partnership with the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC), undertook to develop a system for producers of halal goods and services to carry out their activities on the Internet.

Abdullah had witnessed the exchanging of documents for the project between HDC chief executive officer Datuk Jamal Bidin and Microsoft Malaysia managing director Yasmin Mahmood.

Industry analysts said the ministry was informed in April of the proposal to grant Open XML the ISO status and it was given time to decide.

Open XML is a type of document format with a set of specifications on how electronic documents can be read, stored, saved, retrieved or edited.

The deadline for Malaysia to submit its decision is Sept 2 but until now, the ministry has yet to give an answer.

In similar cases in the past, the ministry only took eight to nine weeks to reply.

"In November last year, the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) International gave the thumbs up to the Open XML document software," an industry analyst said. "The following month, ECMA submitted a request for the Open XML to be awarded the ISO 9001:2000 standard."

In January, the 102 member countries of the ISO were asked to give their technical feedback on the document software programme.

The initial feedback from the ministry was that it would give its support to the awarding of ISO 9001:2000 standard for the Open XML.

However, it is learnt the industry service committee groups were ordered to reconvene and deliberate over the issuance of ISO status for Open XML on Friday.

Sirim president and chief executive Datuk Dr Mohd Ariffin Aton declined to comment when contacted by the New Sunday Times.

Yasmin said she did not want to be drawn into a public debate on the matter.

"We fully respect the government’s prerogative to make a decision based on its principles and policies."

Comments

[Anonymous]

Hmm... it is equally possible that MS is trying to remind the government that it should response positively to its OOXML effort given that it help it in the Halal web.

And yes, it is a stretch to say that Badawi endorse something simply because he "witness" a ceremony and I agree the reason for bringing this up is to simply construct a astro-link (a play on astroturf).