Keeping ops going in event of disaster

By Azlan Abu BakarPublished: 2009/05/01

MANY companies are unaware that they can take steps to safeguard their day-to-day operations in the event of a major disruption or disaster.

The technical term for it is business continuity management (BCM), and technology company HeiTECH Managed Services Sdn Bhd (HMS) believes the level of awareness - including among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - is still low.

"Although some companies have started to implement BCM in their operations, many more have yet to do so," said HMS chief executive officer Abdul Halim Md Lassim. HMS is a wholly owned unit of HeiTECH Padu Bhd.

Abdul Halim said most of the companies that have BCM are multinational companies, banks and financial institutions, and even some government agencies.

"BCM is a holistic management process that identifies potential impacts that can threaten the day-to-day operations of an organisation," he said, adding that BCM can help companies work out how to stay in business in the event of building fires, earthquakes, or pandemic illnesses, among others.

Traditionally, the task is assigned to information technology (IT) professionals whose only concern is the recovery of data centre services or disaster recovery.

In an effort to promote and educate the business community on BCM, HMS has teamed up with Disaster Recovery Institute of Malaysia (DRI) to organise the inaugural business continuity management conference.

At the signing ceremony yesterday, DRI was represented by its programme manager Carol Chia, and witnessed by HeiTECH Padu executive chairman Datuk Mohd Hilmey Mohd Taib.

"The event is aimed at sharing experience and the knowledge of experts and professionals from around the world on business survival approaches as well as applications during the current global economic downturn," Abdul Halim told reporters after the ceremony in Subang Jaya.

He noted that under the partnership, both parties would jointly conduct marketing, promotional and event management activities to ensure the success of the conference. The two-day event will be held at Nikko Hotel starting from June 22.