Press Release by NEF and Astro Awani on 8th September 2010

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For Immediate Release
Wednesday, 8 September 2010.
NEF & AWANI to organize inclusive ICT awards
Astro AWANI (Astro Channel 501) and Persatuan Industri & Usahawan ICT Bumiputera
Malaysia (New Entrepreneur Forum -- NEF) will organize an inclusive ICT Awards
known as the NEF-AWANI ICT Awards 2010. The awards will not only celebrate
successful ICT companies that multiracial Malaysians feel have made an impact in their
lives but also acknowledge and celebrate successful Bumiputera Technopreneurs.
According to Astro AWANI’s General Manager, Rozina Aziz, the 24 hour news and
information channel decided to be NEF’s partner in this inaugural annual award as there
is a need to bring to the forefront stories of successful Malaysian ICT companies and
provide recognition to Bumiputera companies that have made a big impact not just
locally but also abroad.
“Viewers will not only get to see the various stages of value creation in innovative
companies, it will also inspire Malaysians to be good technopreneurs,” said Rozina Aziz.
Astro AWANI will discuss various ICT issues and feature the nominees and winners on
its news bulletins and current affairs programmes like AGENDA AWANI, SUDUT
PANDANG and U-WARTAWAN starting September 8, 2010.
Meanwhile the President of NEF, Ashran Datuk Ghazi, said, the award is inclusive in
spirit and very much in line with 1Malaysia.
“There are many good and capable Bumiputera companies and what we hope to
achieve with this award is that these companies will be better known in the market” he
said.
The NEF-AWANI Awards 2010 is also supported by the Utusan group, AMP Radio
Networks and NEF’s magazine The Network.
There are 8 categories of Bumiputera ICT Awards and the public will be invited to submit
nominations online. The submission will be based on why the product or service
deserves an award.
The categories are:
1. Best Bumiputera Software Product.

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2. Best Young Bumiputera Technopreneur.
3. Best Bumiputera New Media Application.
4. Best Bumiputera Mobile content/Application.
5. Best Bumiputera Startup Company.
6. Best Bumiputera Creative Animation/Games.
7. Most Innovative Bumiputera Company.
8. Best Bumiputera ICT Company.
The nominees will be judged on product uniqueness, creativity, innovation, market
acceptance, quality/aesthetics and impact to industry/community.
The top 3 in each category will then be shortlisted and presented to the judges for final
evaluation. They will be highlighted on Astro AWANI, Utusan Malaysia, AMP Radio
Networks, and NEF’s in-house magazine The Network.
As the award is also ‘inclusive’ in spirit, there are 5 categories where winners are chosen
by the public. The voting mechanism will be via online and nominees can only be voted
once by each Malaysian. The categories are:
1. Favourite Telecommunications Company.
2. Favourite Online Banking Service Provider.
3. Favourite e-Services by Government.
4. Favourite Entertainment Portal.
5. Favourite e-Community/e-services.
The top 3 nominees with the highest nominations will be shortlisted as finalist.
These companies then need to compete for another round between the three finalists of
each category for the most favorite category.
The winners will be identified by those who have the highest public vote.
The public can start sending nominations online at www.nef.org.my starting today. The
deadline for nominations is 8 October 2010. The finalists will be announced on 25
October 2010. The winners will be announced on 25 November, 2010.
“This is our contribution to encourage innovation and creativity, the way to excel in the
New Economic Model,” said both Rozina Aziz and Ashran Datuk Ghazi.

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NEF is an association committed towards improving the quality of technopreneurship. It
was formed in 1997 as a support system & self help group for technopreneurs. As time
passes, it has evolved into an organization that is now recognized by the Government of
Malaysia as a leading organization that is focused in representing Bumiputera
Technopreneurs in Malaysia.
NEF main areas of focus are Funding, Market Access, Technopreneur Development,
and Creativity & Innovation.
Astro AWANI is Malaysia’s first 24 hour news and information channel in Bahasa
Malaysia. Agenda AWANI goes on air LIVE Mondays to Thursday at 8:15 pm, Sudut
Pandang is aired LIVE at 10:00 pm Mondays to Thursday and U-Wartawan is
transmitted LIVE at 10:00 pm on Friday, on Astro AWANI (Astro Channel 501).
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For more information on the NEF-AWANI ICT Awards please contact:
Ashran Datuk Ghazi, President NEF (Tel: +019-3891899 atau e-mail
ashran@asiastream.com.my)
Rozina Aziz, General Manager, Astro AWANI (Tel: +012-2067228 or e-mail
rozina_aziz@astro.com.my)
Azizi Othman, Editor-In-Chief, Astro AWANI (Tel: +019-2215662 or e-mail
azizi_othman@astro.com.my)
Suhaimi Sulaiman, Editor-At-Large, Astro AWANI (Tel: +019-3822642 or e-mail
suhaimi_sulaiman@astro.com.my)