Obama to lend MaGIC touch

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Global Innovation and Creative Centre (MaGIC) in Cyberjaya, which is tasked with transforming Malaysia into a dynamic entrepreneurial nation, will get some sound advice – from President Barack Obama.

The United States leader will stop by in Cyberjaya on Sunday to be briefed and also provide a pep talk.

Special Envoy to the US Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis said it was a top priority to bring the president to the centre “to provide the inspiration.”

“The Government’s aim is to make Malaysia a high-income nation and to create a knowledge-based economy. MaGIC has a big role to play.

“The United State is all about innovation and there can be no better opportunity than having the president visit the centre,’’ he said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who has allocated RM50mil to MaGIC, is scheduled to accompany Obama to the centre after their talks in Putrajaya.

The president will witness the signing of an MoU between MaGIC and the Stanford Centre for Professional Development (SCPD) from The Leland Stanford Junior University, and with UP Global, a non-profit organisation set up to provide support for entrepreneurs.

The collaboration with SCPD will enable local entrepreneurs to enrol in courses and programmes while they continued with their businesses.

With a long history of creating talent for renowned multinational such as General Electric and Hewlett-Packard, SCPD was founded by Frederick Terman, better known as the “Father of Silicon Valley” who was the university’s Dean of the School of Engineering.

It is learnt that under the arrangement, SCPD faculty members would be brought to the centre to help in the transfer of knowledge with local entrepreneurs sent there to learn and meet with venture capitalists.

The second MoU with UP Global is a result of the 4th Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) held in Kuala Lumpur last year with the theme “Empowering and Connecting Entrepreneurs” organised by the Finance Ministry.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who attended the GES event here, said the US would enter into a partnership to train 500,000 entrepreneurs from Malaysia and around the world over the next few years in 1,000 cities, including Kuala Lumpur.