MAJOR EVENT: Saifol and MDeC global profiling and portfolio management director Rizatuddin Ramli at the launch of the MSC Malaysia Great ICT Sale.

Small- and medium-scale enterprises are being treated to a buffet of business solutions.

AFTER a successful outing in the Klang Valley, The MSC Malaysia Great ICT Sale is moving up to Penang, for the ­benefit of small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in the north.

From Aug 7-9, the event at the Penang international Sports Arena will showcase business software solutions that are tailored for the needs of SMEs, with a view to getting these companies to embrace information and communications technology (ICT).

Saifol Shamlan, vice-president of the Multimedia Development Corp’s (MDeC’s) industry development division, said the Penang leg of the sale will be on a smaller scale than the one in Kuala Lumpur.

About 13 vendors are ­participating in the Penang show, whereas 23 took part in the previous leg.

“But what matters more is that we spread the message that there are IT solutions that can help SMEs run their businesses better and more efficiently,” Saifol said.

The vendors will be showcasing IT solutions ranging from ­account-ing packages to web-hosting services.

The Great ICT Sale is an initiative by MDeC, held in conjunction with the National ICT Month (July 20 to Aug 20) organised by the Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia, better known as Pikom.

MDeC which is custodian of the country’s MSC Malaysia initiative, put together The Great ICT Sale to give local SMEs a boost, as well as to further develop the nation’s ­software development industry.

The Klang Valley leg of the event was well-received, according to Saifol.

“Many visitors came to the booths and asked about the ­solutions being offered there.

“There were even several other vendors who came to enquire whether they could take part in the show,” he said.

Among the vendors participating are accounting software provider MYOB Asia Sdn Bhd; Edgecomms Sdn Bhd which offers fixed wireless services; and T-Melmax, a ­­­payment-gateway solutions ­provider.

MDeC has plans to make The Great ICT Sale an annual event.

“The goal is to increase awareness among SMEs about the ICT solutions that can help them, and we certainly achieved that here in the Klang Valley,” Saifol said.

MDeC hopes to repeat this success in Penang and in Johor after that.

The southern leg of The Great ICT Sale will be held at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre from Aug 14-16.