KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 (Bernama) — Over 200 Bumiputera entrepreneurs and ?rms from the information and communications technology (ICT) industry are expected to participate in the 2nd NEF-Awani ICT Awards 2011. Malaysian Association of Bumiputera ICT Industry and Entrepreneurs (NEF) president, Ashran Ghazi, said the association hoped that with the changes in the format, it could double the participation this year from about 100 last year.
“The Awards will be slightly different from the previous year with the addition of some new elements to the format,” he told reporters a?er the launch of the Awards by Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir here today. He said the ?nalists would now have to impress the judges in a pitching session.
“The top ?ve selected nominees will have to go all out to secure a place in the top three nominees for each category,” he said. Astro Awani’s general manager, Rozina Aziz, said to create more competition, the ‘People’s Choice’ award would now be opened to international brands and companies as well as international voters. She said the selection of the nominees for this category would be based on the impact they had on people’s live. “There are seven categories under the ICT award and eight under the People’s Choice award,” she said.
The award ceremony is scheduled for Feb 11, 2012 and the nomination period would start today and end on Nov 30, 2011. The Awards is organised by Astro Awani television channel and NEF. It would provide a platform for Bumiputera companies to gain recognition
and exposure, NEF said. -BERNAMA
