Formerly known as Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), this project is an initiative from the government to bring the nation forward as an information and knowledge hub. In conjunction with the government’s plan to develop information and communication technology (ICT) industry, former Prime Minister (fourth Prime Minister), Tun Mahathir Mohammad brainstormed the concept in 1996 and implemented it on the 15x 50 kilometres square root land along Petronas Twin Tower to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Besides that, the project also covered townships of Putrajaya and Cyberjaya. What makes MSC famous worldwide is the total number of over 900 multinationals including foreign-owned and local companies. Basically, the companies involved mainly around multimedia, solutions, research, communication products and also other development goods.

Years later under the leadership of the fifth Prime Minister (another former leader), Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and the project has once again developed and currently, covered the Klang Valley district since December 2006.

All the MSC status foreign-owned and home-grown companies are entitled to receive incentives and remuneration from the Malaysian government according to the Bill of Guarantees approved years ago. However, it was then questioned by some parties due to the high investment cost whereby companies are required to register within the corridor. As a result, rents and real estate expenditures increased.

In addition to that, Bill of Guarantees approved by the government also caused an uproar amongst the public especially Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, as in recent years, the Act was used to implement censorship on the Internet.

MSC status is recognized by the government via MDeC particularly those companies that are involved in ICT activities within the nation. Thus, home-grown and foreign-owned companies within the corridor will be awarded with MSC status as long as they install multimedia technologies to improve services and also for the purpose of process developing.

In order to be eligible for the status, companies must meet several criteria set by the government and the applicants that have been approved must also observe the conditions before proceeding to the next step, to be officially awarded with the status.

Criteria pre-determined by the government to qualify for MSC status in Malaysia are to employ knowledge workers in the company besides taking the role either as a frequent user or provider of multimedia products and services. Also, companies must be situated within the vicinity of cyber-cities and strives hard to contribute towards development and progress of MSC and other economic initiatives suggested by the government.

Last but not least, to form a different legal entity that complies with multimedia business and most importantly, follow strictly environmental guidelines. It is extremely important for companies to comply with all the above criteria to be eligible for MSC-Malaysia status.

Applications will be rejected if the company manufacture goods in bulks especially in a factory based environment, or participate in activities that are irrelevant to multimedia application wholly developed in-house by applicant and also trades off-the-shelf hardware and software.

When the applicants are approved by the government to be eligible for MSC Malaysia status, all the companies are required to run according to several conditions and regulations. Companies must complete any business registration within one month from the approval. Should there be any changes; companies must file in a report for approval from MDeC.

In addition to the above regulation, companies must also fulfill other statutory and licensing requirements within the nation and to ensure approximately 15 percent of the total staffs in the company are knowledgeable and skillful workers (the numbers exclude supporting staffs).

As mentioned earlier, companies must follow environmental guidelines namely Environmental Guidelines for MSC Malaysia Investor's Guide, Physical Planning Guidelines for MSC Malaysia September 2000, and also Urban Design Guidelines for Cyberjaya. Finally, companies must choose a location within the cyber-cities within six months from the approval date.

Under the MSC Malaysia Flagship Applications, it consist electronic government, multipurpose card, smart school, tele-health and also technopreneur development.