MalaysiaGIS.com

Source: Business Computing, The New Straits Times

First Project
Wan Khalik's first Web design project was acquired by chance in April last year. This courageous young web designer "wanna be" at that time was surfing the Internet when he came upon American Chilli's Bar and Grill Restaurant Web site.

He figured that he could refurbish the company's corporate Web page to become more attractive by introducing an interactive one. He approached the owner of the restaurant who thought the idea to be interesting and hence gave Wan Khalik the green light to pursue a prototype. The RM7,000 project took him three weeks to complete. With this pay cheque and the success of the Web site, Wan Khalik became even more inspired.

"The first thing I did with the money from the American Chilli's project was upgrade my PC," Wan Khalik recalls. While it was timely with the dotcom boom, Wan Khalik also discovered his hidden talent in IT. Hence, he made the decision that IT would be his career.

Application
Today, OneStop DotCom's flagship application is iMaps, an interactive mapping solution using extended markup language (XML)-based graphic format called scalable vector graphics (SVG). SVG is a new graphics file format and Web development language based on XML. It enables users to create graphics from real-time data with precise structural and visual control.

Other services the company provides include Web site and portal development with e-commerce and database integrations, Web and client-server based business solutions, consultancy on deployment of Internet technology, development of e-learning solutions, multimedia graphics, 3-D design/simulations and many more.

Wan Khalik mentions that OneStop DotCom had been in discussions with two venture capitalists, one local and another from Taiwan, but the terms were not agreeable because the VCs wanted a majority of the stake in that company while he and his colleagues were not for it.

Recently nominated for the Most Promising Startup award in the Pikom-Computimes IT Awards 2001, Wan Khalik say it is already a great honour to be nominated as one of the finalist. However, things have only begun for OneStop DotCom and the journey ahead is still a long way from success.

OneStop DotCom plans to have more projects coming its way. The company has received enquiry from a Korean communication hardware manufacturer about mapping and content development.

OneStop DotCom also plans to develop an interactive mapping with database solution on Malaysian statistics in the form of CDs by the end of this year.

The company's future solutions would be an expansion of the current iMaps solution, leveraging on global positioning systems (GPS)-based open source technology.

In the long run, Wan Khalik hopes to open a branch office in his home state Sarawak to provide Web solutions. He strongly believes that there are many more projects especially with the state governments.

Asked whether Wan Khalik sees his job to be a glamorous one, this youngest child of 11 siblings says it is far from that.

"We are practically in the office all time working. We handle all the paper work, programming, technical work, marketing and finance ourselves," says Wan Khalik, adding that one good point being throughly familiar with his business is being able to make a decision without having to refer to a third party.

OneStop DotCom's list of clients include Internet Portals for MyHomeINP.com.my, BandarKinrara.com.my, RealEstateOnline.com.my, eUshawan.com and Mercy.com.my.

Some of its corporate Web site clients are Hijrah Unit Trust Management Bhd, Island and Peninsular Bhd, Malaysian Electroplanting Technology Sdn Bhd and Bumi Gemilang Sdn Bhd.