Oct 20, 2015 -- JUPEM has received a prestigious Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award for their efforts to promote the use of geospatial information in Malaysia through a ground-breaking project called Geospatial Data Acquisition System (GDAS).

The highly-regarded global award was presented to officials from JUPEM by Lai Chee Siew – CEO of leading geospatial solutions provider Esri Malaysia – during the annual Esri Malaysia User Conference in Putrajaya.

“JUPEM was selected from a pool of more than 400,000 commercial and public sector organisations worldwide – all of whom have used Geospatial Information System (GIS) technology to address the needs of their industries and communities,” said Mr Lai.

“The recognition of their extraordinary achievement is well deserved. They are defining best practices not only in Malaysia, but also internationally,” he said.

GDAS is a sophisticated smart mapping system that produces authoritative geospatial information and makes it readily available to government organisations, the private sector, and citizens.

It aims to improve the efficiency of the government’s mapping processes, enabling policy makers to make well-informed decisions on areas such as socio-economic development planning, resources management, environmental protection, and disaster preparedness and response among others.

Datuk Sr Ahmad Fauzi bin Nordin, Director General of JUPEM, said geographic information is at the heart of many of the Government’s important decisions.

“From solving crimes to tracking diseases and improving operational efficiencies - it is already becoming very evident that GIS technology is invaluable for solving many real-world problems.

“The point at which the technology makes a material difference is in how it organises large volumes of disparate – often physically dispersed information sets, into a consolidated data cluster enabling more effective analysis and visualisation,” Datuk Fauzi said.

“I would like to thank Esri for this recognition. Most importantly, I’d also like extend my gratitude to the teams and officers at JUPEM who have worked very hard to ensure the successful implementation of GDAS,” he said.  

“Clearly, with its usage there would be improved decision-making as well as more entrepreneurship and application development - the benefits of which will flow right down to our citizens and communities.”

Last year, JUPEM secured the same award for the development of uGEO for Defence to support the Malaysian Armed Force’s mission-critical operations.

The technology was used to help MAF respond to the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff in Sabah and planning the search and rescue operations for the Malaysian Airlines flights MH370 and MH17 tragedies. 

Malaysia’s growing number of smart cities are best built leveraging state-of-the-art mapping technology, a renowned international expert has said.

Mr Josh Venman, a global authority on geospatial mapping technology, will reveal how Geographic Information System (GIS) technology supports the development of smart cities – to improve everything from traffic movements to the delivery of health services – at the Esri Malaysia User Conference.

GIS technology – commonly known as smart mapping technology – underpins the operations of many of the world’s most progressive land management authorities, law enforcement agencies, national security groups and local governments.

It integrates data from multiple sources across organisations to create a dynamic map-based view of information giving decision-makers a better situational awareness of their environment.

Mr Venman said Malaysia’s various government bodies can leverage GIS technology to build connected, adaptable and sustainable communities

“From conception through to construction and evolution, smart cities are best shaped on a foundation of geographic insight,” Mr Venman said.

"Delivered through a combination of authoritative spatial data and GIS technology, this insight offers all levels of government a clear advantage when determining how to respond to community needs.”

Iskandar Malaysia, for example, was designed with local communities in mind to effectively position facilities such as commercial, residential and recreational areas.

“Economic developers at the Iskandar Regional Development Authority are using advanced GIS technology to make informed decisions about where to locate new businesses or grow existing ones,” Mr Venman said.

Similarly, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is also utilising 3D GIS technology as part of a slope hazard and risk assessment programme, designed to assess the safety and liveability of certain areas around the city.

“Using 3D GIS technology, urban planners are able to identify areas in the city which have a high geohazard susceptibility to landslides. This enables them to work effectively with concerned stakeholders to coordinate development activities around the city,” Mr Venman said.

Furthermore as vast amount of data is created every day from sensors and devices positioned throughout cities – including live video streams, speed sensors on roads and social media feeds.

Using smart mapping technology to map and analyse information collected from these sensors, provides governments an unparalleled view of an unfolding event and actively monitor vital public services such as health, water quality and electricity in real-time.”

Mr Venman will be in-country to deliver a keynote address on GIS technology to an assembly of more than 300 of Malaysia’s leading geospatial specialists tomorrow at the Esri Malaysia User Conference.

The conference, which will be held at the Putrajaya International Conference Centre, will feature a full program of presentations and demonstrations by some of the world’s leading geospatial experts.

sing smart mapping technology to map and analyse information collected from these sensors, provides governments an unparalleled view of an unfolding event and actively monitor vital public services such as health, water quality and electricity in real-time.”

Mr Venman will be in-country to deliver a keynote address on GIS technology to an assembly of more than 300 of Malaysia’s leading geospatial specialists tomorrow at the Esri Malaysia User Conference.

The conference, which will be held at the Putrajaya International Conference Centre, will feature a full program of presentations and demonstrations by some of the world’s leading geospatial experts.