Open Malaysia

Now that the voting period for DIS 29500 (OOXML) has gone and past, I can now safely blog about the past weeks events in Malaysia.

On Friday 21st, the Malaysian Technical Committee responsible for evaluating OOXML were given ballot papers to be returned to SIRIM on Monday (24th) 5pm. This procedure differed from the normal voting methods employed by SIRIM.

Normally, TCs are given the responsibility to provide a position on certain matters, and to achieve that position was to gain consensus from all the parties involved. Consensus building means that we should find a position where there should be no sustained opposition.

However because it was a delayed ballot to be submitted later, this process could not happen.

Nevertheless, here are the results from the Technical Committee on

Malaysia’s vote on ISO/IEC DIS 29500 - Information Technology - Office Open XML File Formats 

Approve:

1. PIKOM - Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia [debate]
2. IASA - Brought in the VP from Microsoft US
3. DagangNet - Local company which brought in an expert with RosettaNet
4. MDeC - Multimedia Development Corporation

Disapprove:

1. FMM - Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers
2. MNCC - Malaysian National Computer Confederation
3. MAMPU - Malaysian  Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning
4. ARKIB Negara - Malaysian National Archives
5. KPDNHEP - Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
6. KTAK - Ministry of Energy, Water & Communications
7. UTM - University Technologi Malaysia
8. Malaysian Association of Standards Users

Did not respond / Abstained / Holds no position:

1. ACEM - Association of Consulting Engineers of Malaysia
2. KASTAM - Royal Malaysian Customs
3. MOSTI - Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation
4. MMU - Multimedia University
5. Bank Negara

The final vote for TC4 was: 4 Approvals, 8 Disapprovals and 5 Abstentions.

What is interesting is that the Approvals, like in the case of India are associations which have strong ties with Microsoft, of whom provides support, funding and are sponsors to their events.

For the Disapprovals are Malaysian End-User Associations, Governmental Agencies and Academia. The bodies who represent the huge majority of Malaysian citizens' interests.

This however should be no indication of Malaysia's final vote, as this will have to go through TC4's next level, which is ISC-G. They held their meeting on the 27th, and a similar delayed vote, without consensus was also held.

Additionally, ISC-G's vote will not be the final position either.

The final position will be solely decided by the new Minister of Science Technology and Innovation, who had up till today 7am to cast Malaysia's final position.

yk