GIS@development October 2003: "NaLIS: Focus on sharing data through web"

How and when the National Infrastructure for Land Information System (NaLIS) started in Malaysia?
It was started with a feasibility study in 1995. The first prototype was developed in 1997 involving four cadastral data suppliers from Government agencies in Kuala Lumpur. The implementation of this prototype which was later known as NaLIS Pilot Project was an effort towards building capability of data sharing through web.

What are the objectives of NaLIS?
NaLIS, as our NSDI, was recently changed to Malaysian Geospatial Data Infrastructure, in short MyGDI. This has been done due to the development of NaLIS and involvement of various agencies representing cadastral as well as mapping authorities.

The objectives of MyGDI is to work towards enabling online access to geospatial information, avoiding duplication of effort in data collection and ensuring the accuracy, timeliness, correctness and consistency of data.

Which are the main agencies involved in MyGDI?
Almost all of our government agencies are involved in MyGDI.

How have you managed to develop metadata standards and make participating agencies comply with them?
First, we had the opportunity to join the Metadata Editing Committee under the ISO/Technical Committee 211. In the year 1998 we developed NaLIS standard metadata based on the 3rd draft of the ISO/TC211 document. After that we made use of the NaLIS Application for data suppliers to start metadata entry, updating and searching activities so that each time as and when the MyGDI data supplier wants to update and publish his data through our server at his premise, the related metadata is also up-dated by using the MyGDI application. Before that stage, we had to train officers at the suppliers organisation to use the application.

What kind of data is available through NaLIS?
The available data themes which are published from various data suppliers are information about built environment, cadastral, geology, drainage and irrigation etc. But, we still have not linked it with utility data suppliers. All utility data suppliers belong to the private sector and we still don't have any agreement with them. We hope to invite them in near future.

Is there any pricing structure in place?
We are planning to complete two parallel actions this year. First, we have to guide the related data suppliers to find the most reasonable price for their data and finally for getting the approval from the related authority. Most of them still don't have their rate for their product of data. Besides this we will upgrade NaLIS Application by developing the e-commerce facility.

Developing an NSDI faces challenge of data sharing? How do you manage to convince participating agencies?
Presently it is being managed by various strategies. One of them is by issuing several circulars and guidelines related to the role of data suppliers that are also the custodian of the data. We are also helping data suppliers to complete and upgrade their capability to produce geospatial data efficiently. This involves data collection activities and human resource development which are sponsored by the Malaysian Centre for Geospatial Data Infrastructure (MaCGDI).

Is there any role for private sector in MyGDI?
Yes, the private sector has to play the role as our geospatial data suppliers. We are extending our hand to invite experts from industries to join MyGDI Technology Advisory Group.

What prospects do you see for MaCGDI in the context of geomatics scenario in Malaysia?
There is an urgent requirement for coordination of the existing policies towards data sharing activities. Since there is still many important data at the state and local authority levels which are still not in GIS ready format, we have to help them with a top-down approach. Even though the top-down approach is very tiring, the cooperation from data custodians is easier, especially when they have been exposed to the GIS knowledge. They enjoy the benefit of available digital geospatial data for their daily operational works. So, the prospects of MyGDI as well as geomatics scenario are very promising.

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