MalaysiaGIS.com

Source: New Straits Times

Science, Technology and Environment Minister Minister Datuk Law Hieng Ding said today the use of the computer-based technology - the geographical information system - would be beneficial in this respect.

GIS software is used for processing spatial information, combining elements of database management, mapping, image processing and statistical analysis.

Law said the technology would be used to locate underground power cables and water and sewerage pipes.

The information would be stored on a database where it could be retrived by local authorities before excavation or construction work is carried out.

"At present, this information is written on paper and it is with the respective authorities.

"Those from other agencies including utility boards, have to obtain the information from the respective authorities if they want to know where cables or pipes are located before carrying out excavation work or planning infrastructural projects."

Law said this after launching the first Malaysian Remote Sensing Society and the Conference on Remote Sensing and GIS.

The three-day conference is jointly organized by the Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing and MRSS.

Law said with a centralized database, the authorities would know where cables or pipes were located.

"However, MACRES does not have the ability to set up the database on its own as it involves tremendous effort and planning. "We hope the private sector can help."

On the formulation of the Natural Resources and Environment Management Programme using remote sensing and GIS to map information on potential soil erosion areas and the distribution of natural resources, Law said MACRES was working on it with the Economic Planning Unit.

Earlier in his speech, Law said remote sensing and GIS were revolutionary tools for national planning and managing the country's resources.

However, he said the National Remote Sensing Programme had met with two major constraints - the difficulty in acquiring realtime satellite data especially for strategic economic planning and environmental purposes and the lack of skilled manpower in the science and engineering fields.

Law said the Government was overcoming the constraints in stages by trying to develop the infrastructure and manpower.