Cisco announced that it is collaborating with Sime Darby Property (SDP), the property division of Sime Darby Group, and Mesiniaga Berhad to develop social, economic and environmental sustainability in Malaysia through connected communities.The collaboration, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Cisco and Sime Darby Property, is intended to lead to the integr...
Cisco announced that it is collaborating with Sime Darby Property (SDP), the property division of Sime Darby Group, and Mesiniaga Berhad to develop social, economic and environmental sustainability in Malaysia through connected communities.
The collaboration, through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Cisco and Sime Darby Property, is intended to lead to the integration of a complete range of information and communications technology solutions and related services provided by Cisco and Mesiniaga for SDP's current and future projects. The projects including the Sime Darby Idea House and Sime Healthcare will build on Cisco communities solutions.
The Sime Darby Idea House is set to be the first carbon-neutral residence in Southeast Asia, will be a test bed for Smart Connected Communities solutions and serve as a model for the network infrastructure required for sustainable city development.
The announcement is a significant step for Cisco in implementing its innovation and sustainability initiative in Malaysia. The government has been laying the foundation to drive sustainable developments, including the recent National Broadband Initiative, and efforts in revising policies to make connectivity a compulsory service for buildings.
As one of the first beneficiaries of the collaboration between Cisco, Sime Darby Property and Mesiniaga, the Sime Darby Idea House will embed various collaboration, video and mobility technologies such as IP telephony, Wi-Fi, video enhanced security, digital signage, Cisco TelePresence and smart building management systems.
The Sime Darby Idea House will showcase the concept of a connected life with Cisco's next-generation technologies.
Mesiniaga Berhad, the master systems integrator, will assist SDP to deploy and manage the Cisco Smart Connected Communities solutions. Mesiniaga will take the lead with other eco-partners where necessary to deliver the required services.
The Cisco Smart Connected Communities initiative elevates the network as the platform for sustainability and unites information sharing and collaboration tools to create a services platform that addresses the challenges of massive urbanization and environmental sustainability. Through this model, Cisco is helping various communities in the world, change the way cities, towns and villages are designed, built and managed.
"Just as the Internet has transformed our lives with connectivity for health care through to education, government access, energy-efficient buildings, physical security and more, it will now transform our cities," said Anne Abraham, MD for Cisco Malaysia. "Over the next five years, some 500 million people will be added to the world's cities, and by 2050, at least 100 new cities will be inhabited by more than a million residents. Developing the infrastructure for these cities will not only require massive resources and investment, but also have a significant environmental impact. With Sime Darby and Mesiniaga, Cisco is committed to the transformation of Malaysia into a sustainable and connected community, changing the way its citizens live, work, play and learn."
Dato' Tunku Putra Badlishah, MD for Sime Darby Property, said: "Today's MoU cements Sime Darby's commitment to develop a sustainable future that will meet the demands of increasingly urbanized populations. Cisco's Smart Connected Communities solutions are instrumental in enabling Sime Darby's integrated city management, public and community services as well as energy savings and emissions control. We can now transform our townships and developments into connected communities to create new opportunities and enhance quality of life."
"Our role in the collaboration is crucial in ensuring that the ICT deployment for Sime Darby's Idea House is in line with all parties objectives," said Effendi Hashim, GM and Head of Sales for GLC and commercial sector at Mesiniaga. "We bring with us years of leadership in the area of IP network implementation, management and that makes us a unique partner of choice. Most importantly, we are committed to ensure that our expertise and value are transferred locally to help Sime Darby achieve its vision of making a sustainable future real for everyone."