MalaysiaGIS.com

The amount is an additional to the RM400,000 allocated earlier in 1994 when the pilot project kicked off in Section 18, Shah Alam.

According to MPSA, the pilot system is now fully operational and the GIS project is being implemented simultaneously at 27 other sections, involving primarily data collection of the various locations for entry into the Oracle database at MPSA's head office.

The database will contain vital information -such as data on the streetlights - which will be categorized under 13 modules, that would go a long way towards helping MPSA in its infrastructural planning and developmental work.

The GIS project, is being undertaken by MPSA and Integrated Geographic Designs Sdn Bhd (IGD), which was also awarded the contract to develop its home page and computer-based public information kiosks. Both the projects of which have been completed.

The GIS home page and information kiosks are expected to be launched together soon.

In a statement, MPSA's head of the planning department Ahmad Zamri Kamaruddin said the GIS implementation would enable the council to develop and plan the area better and in a more structured manner.

The system, when completed will boost MPSA tremendously, in terms of helping its officers to make more informed and accurate decisions.

Ahmad Zamri also said that the information kiosks is another project by the department in an effort to get closer to the public.

The kiosks, initially planned to contain information about the department, was later expanded to disseminate the whole information about MPSA.

MPSA president Datuk Aini Taib said the home page document should be a reference center. The industrial database, he added, is important and of real use, especially to either local or overseas investors.

Shah Alam has the largest industrial area in the country with more than 600 factories at present. Among them are the first national car manufacturer Proton and multinational corporations such as Ericsson and Matsushita.

"In my opinion, if MPSA wants a home page on the Internet, it has to carry more weight to it. Personally, I think those outside the municipality would have less reason to visit the home page if it has information about MPSA alone," Mohd Aini said.

"Thus, we should entice them with more reasons to come visit our site, as then it will do greater justice in our effort developing it.