Kedah-IT's Carnival

When I was back to my hometown in Kedah coincidentally theres an IT Carnival held at Stadium Sultan Abdul Halim, Alor Setar. Exhibitors includes among other Telekom Malaysia, Jaring, Time Dot Com, MIMOS, MOSTI, MSC Status Companies besides schools and institutions with IT innovations.

The carnival was organised by the Kedah State Government and Kedah ICT and supported by Ministry of Science Technology and Inovation, Kementerian Tenaga Air dan Komunikasi, MDEC, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commissions (MCMC) and Majlis Bandaraya Alor Setar.

The Kedah Goverment is also planning to implement the Kedah Card a method of cashless transactions. I think it high time we implement the cashless shopping. What I experience in Hong Kong with the use of Octopus card is very convenient when one who have enough stored up value in the card can spend without a hassle. The card can be used for transportation and transport related, retails, leisure facilities, self service and in schools campuses. I can even buy a can of Coke at 7 Eleven. As a Kedahan I hope it will become a reality and usage be expanded nationwide.

The theme of the exhibition is Broadband in Everyhome and I hope it will become a reality. To make it a success the Kedah ICT Holdings had signed a pact with TIME Dot Com to deliver broadband.

Besides exhibitions there's also Launching of;
1."Broadband in Every Home
2. 'CELIK IT' Programme
3. PC Gaming Competition
4. Mobile Gaming Competition
5. Carnival ICT Showcase
6. Carnival ICT PC Fair
7. Carnival ICT Job Fair
8. ICT Survey and Lucky Draw
9. E-Colouring Competition
10. Assemble PC Competition
11. Cyberkids Camp
12. Mini Explorace IT

During the opening ceremony a few awards and launching of programmes also took place. It includes
Hand over a certificate to CyberKids Camp's participants
Hand over a certificate to the winner of all events in the carnival
Presentation of Chief Minister ICT Innovation Award
Launching of Kedah.TV Portal

IT's Carnival in Alor Setar is not just another PC Fair, its more than that. It's more on educational and information dissemination affair. The function was officiated by YAB Menteri Besar of Kedah Dato' Mahadzir bin Khalid

What else attracts teenagers and kids is of course inline games. Hope it will not be something too addictive since it is just recreation even though there is world championship.