The Small and Medium-sized Industry (SMI) Association of Malaysia, in collaboration with Sun Microsystems, has launched a business solution called e-SMI to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country implement the latest Internet technology to position themselves for the global market place.

According to the SMI Association, there are currently about 100,000 SMEs in Malaysia but only 30 percent have some kind of Web presence and use IT in their daily operations - a low proportion compared to the 80 percent of IT-savvy SMEs in Europe and the U.S.

"About 90 percent of all SMEs in Malaysia are currently utilizing personal computers for their businesses. While this is highly encouraging, IT implementation among these SMEs is still at a very basic level. Most of the local SMEs only use their computers for simple operations like basic accounting, financial data and word processing; they need to go beyond this," said William Soon, national secretary of the SMI Association.

Under the e-SMI program, SMEs will be able to purchase from Sun the latest range of hardware and software specifically designed for their businesses, and priced at a special rate with an easy financing scheme.

Govinathan Pillai, managing director of Sun Microsystems Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., said his company is constructing a business solution that consists of thin-client appliances - SunRay server-centric applicances, Cobalt Qube and free office productivity software (StarOffice 5.2). He added that the solution set is complete, effective and affordable for Malaysia's SMEs, especially with the e-SMI easy financing program.

In addition, Sun will work with IT services partner Ingram Micro (M) Sdn. Bhd. to provide StarOffice training at no cost. Both Sun and Ingram Micro have also donated an e-SMI solution set to be used to train SMEs at the SMI National Consultative Center located in Kuala Lumpur.

SMEs can also purchase this e-SMI business solution from resellers such as DMC, Flexi IT, CY Computer, Axial Computer, G&B, Flexi Computer (Melaka), Concorde System and Adanic Computer.