MOTOROLA Innovation Centre, the research and development unit of Motorola for South-East Asia, is fast becoming an important component of the US multinational corporation.
“Without the input by this centre, our worldwide exports of about US$10bil would be affected,” said Motorola senior vice-president and general manager (global software group) Terrence M.S. Heng.
Heng was speaking to reporters after the official opening of the centre by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis in Cyberjaya yesterday.
The centre, built with an investment of US$100mil, houses over 250 Malaysian professionals who conduct research on software applications and network management solutions in 2G, 2.5G and 3G wireless applications systems, and embedded test software applications for portable wireless devices and automotives.
 |
(From left): Terrence M.S. Heng, Datuk Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis and Motorola Innovation Centre managing director S. Surya at the opening ceremony |
“We expect to increase the staff to more than 300 by the end of the year,” he said.
Heng said Motorola was looking at creating at the centre a prototype for Beyond-3G (B3G) applications for Malaysia and the region.
“We have worked with major global customers like DoCoMo in Japan to develop B3G, and we hope to include Telekom and the universities here,” he said.
Jamaluddin said Motorola Innovation Centre was the kind of investment that the country was promoting at present.
“Unlike manufacturing where the workforce is made up of limited numbers of graduates, a centre like this houses more than 250 graduates,” he said.
He added that the Government was promoting the concept of R&D and information and communications technology to be an industry and profit centre for organisations.
