KUALA LUMPUR May 10 - BizAid Technologies Sdn Bhd (BizAid Technologies) today signed an agreement with Digicert Sdn Bhd (Digicert), Malaysia's first licenced certification authority, for the development of the Pro Trust Seal of "Trust and Security" programme.

The Pro Trust programme works as an online security seal, providing security for e-businesses.

BizAid CEO Victor Ooi said the service would be rolled out in August to meet the demand of security in e-business transactions in Malaysia.

"Digicert has the certification licensed by the government to grant security seals on websites," Ooi said after the signing ceremony today.

BizAid provides IT based products and services for e-business initiatives.

Ooi said as part of the Pro Trust programme, the company would be also hiring a group of consultants comprising professional accounting and company secretarial practitioners who would test and assess the authenticity and security of the site.

"At least 10 of these consultants would be recruited and trained in all aspects of IT expertise by August this year," he added.

Ooi also said an advisory committee comprising practitioners in the IT industry and higher learning institutions will be also engaged before August this year in providing business strategies for BizAid Technologies and Digicert in the on-line security service.

Ooi said 100 websites are expected to register for the Online security service.

Meanwhile the chief executive officer of Digicert, Noor Azli Othman, said that the joint venture with BizAid Technologies would serve not only in securing authenticity, integrity and confidentiality but also provide users with information pertaining to financial verification, front end and back end e-commerce processes.

Digicert is a joint venture company between Pos Malaysia Bhd and Mimos Bhd and Malaysia's first licensed certification authority (CA) offering digital certificates to individuals and organisations.

Its digital certificates are recognised under the Digital Signature Act 1997, and conform to accepted international standards.

BizAid Technologies is a venture by Info-House IT Sdn Bhd and Optixlab Sdn Bhd. Optixlab is the technology incubator for the Renong Group.