Network School diarah menghentikan operasi pada 22 Julai lalu selepas Majlis Bandaraya Iskandar Puteri membatalkan lesen perniagaan dan pengiklanannya. (Gambar Network School)PETALING JAYA: Penutupan Network School dijangka tidak menghalang pelabur teknologi melabur di Malaysia, kata bekas pemimpin Umno, Khairy Jamaluddin dan Shahril Hamdan.Mereka berkata, syarikat teknologi multinasional sudah bertapak di Malaysia memahami persekitaran perniagaan negara dan tidak mungkin terpengaruh dengan kontroversi yang melanda Network School.Khairy yang pernah menerajui Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, berkata pelabur asing utama memahami persekitaran perniagaan serta sensitiviti budaya Malaysia."Saya ada satu sangkaan bahawa pemain FDI (pelaburan langsung asing) besar mungkin tidak begitu terkesan. Mereka tidak terlalu ambil peduli kerana mereka sudah memahami perkara ini.
Mereka lebih arif dari segi budaya dan persekitaran pelaburan."Jadi, mereka mungkin hanya akan mengetepikannya sahaja," katanya dalam audio siar Keluar Sekejap.Kontroversi membabitkan Network School di Forest City tercetus selepas pengguna media sosial mendakwa terdapat penyertaan warga Israel yang menggunakan pasport negara kedua.Pemegang pasport Israel secara amnya tidak boleh memasuki Malaysia tanpa kelulusan kerana Malaysia tidak mempunyai hubungan diplomatik dengan Israel.Shahril berkata, pengasas Network School, Balaji Srinivasan dalam responsnya terhadap kemelut itu terlepas pandang sensitiviti budaya dan politik Malaysia, khasnya berkaitan Israel serta kedaulatan negara.Beliau berkata, Balaji sepatutnya memberikan respons lebih diplomatik dengan bekerjasama dengan pihak berkuasa serta menjauhkan diri daripada persepsi beliau memudahkan kemasukan warga Israel.Sebaliknya, bekas ketua pegawai teknologi Coinbase itu berkata, Network School akan mengetepikan rancangan pelaburannya di Malaysia.Network School diarah menghentikan operasinya 22 Julai lalu, selepas Majlis Bandaraya Iskandar Puteri membatalkan lesen perniagaan dan pengiklanannya.Integrasi komuniti teknologi, syarikat pemula tempatanKhairy berkata, kontroversi itu boleh meninggalkan persepsi negatif dalam kalangan pengasas komuniti teknologi lebih kecil yang sedang mempertimbangkan Malaysia sebagai pangkalan untuk usaha niaga mereka.Shahril pula berpendapat, sesetengah pemain teknologi tempatan secara peribadi tidak bersetuju d… Network School was ordered to cease operations on July 22 after the Iskandar Puteri City Council revoked its business and advertising licences. (Network School pic)PETALING JAYA: The closure of Network School is unlikely to deter technology investors from Malaysia, say former Umno leaders Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan.The pair said multinational tech companies already established in Malaysia were familiar with the country's business environment and were unlikely to be swayed by the controversy surrounding Network School.Khairy, a former science, technology and innovation minister, added that major foreign investors understood Malaysia's business and cultural environment."I suspect the big FDI (foreign direct investment) players don't care.
They've invested here for a long time. They know the ins and outs of investing in Malaysia," he said in the latest episode of the Keluar Sekejap podcast.The controversy surrounding Network School in Forest City erupted after social media users alleged that Israeli nationals had participated using passports from other countries.Israeli passport holders generally cannot enter Malaysia without approval, as Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel.Shahril said Network School founder Balaji Srinivasan, in responding to the kerfuffle, had overlooked Malaysia's cultural and political sensitivities, particularly regarding Israel and national sovereignty.He said Balaji should have responded more diplomatically by cooperating with the authorities and distancing Network School from the perception of facilitating the entry of Israelis.Instead, the former Coinbase chief technology officer said Network School would shelve its Malaysian investment plans.Network School was ordered to cease operations on July 22 after the Iskandar Puteri City Council revoked its business and advertising licences.Integrate tech communities with local start-upsKhairy said the controversy could leave a negative impression on founders of smaller technology communities considering Malaysia as a base for their ventures.Shahril added that some Malaysian tech players privately disagreed with Network School's closure but chose not to speak publicly because of the strong reaction online.They nonetheless said Network School was largely isolated from the local tech ecosystem. Shahril said future initiatives for attracting international tech communiti…
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