MCMC & DiGi adds value at newly launched 1Malaysia CBC in Sematan

MCMC & DiGi adds value at newly launched 1Malaysia CBC in Sematan
Empowerment workshops for local community

Sematan, Sarawak, 26 JULY 2011: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ("MCMC") and DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd ("DiGi") continues to live up to its promise to deliver Internet For All™ with the launch of another Community Broadband Centre ("CBC") in Sarawak. It was officiated today by Guest of Honour, Yang Berhormat Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Minister of Planning & Resource Management II and Minister of Public Utlities, Sarawak.

The CBC is part of a five-year project initiated and fully funded by MCMC via the Universal Service Provision ("USP") fund to help promote equal opportunities for social and economic empowerment to the underserved communities. This is the 14th CBC site DiGi has been awarded to manage and operate. Other CBC sites awarded are located in Johor, Melaka, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang with Lundu as the first DiGi CBC site to be launched in 2010.

Also in attendance at the launch were Yang Berhormat ADUN Opar En. Ranum Mina, Yang Berusaha En. Adiman Ajem, MCMC's Deputy Director of Sarawak State and Yang Berusaha En. Azmi Haji Bujang, Lundu District Officer.

On DiGi's ambitions for the CBC site in Sematan, DiGi's Head of Region for Sarawak, Benny Wee said: "DiGi is committed to support the Government's effort to bridge the digital divide and provide communities in under-served areas access to unlimited information and educational resources via the Internet. It's in line with our overall objective to deliver Internet For All, enabling anyone from all walks of life to enjoy Internet services powered by DiGi's Turbo 3G™ network.

"We also believe in generating additional value beyond connectivity for the people of Sematan. With this in mind, this is the first DiGi-managed CBC, where we are introducing new applications and activities that we believe will bring more value to the community in the form of workshops on how to generate income via online activities, and at the same time, ensure a safer Internet experience for users.

"The centre will also function as an e-learning centre for students keen to compliment their school lessons. We are confident that creating a healthy and fun environment in CBCs is an ideal way to draw the rural communities to use the facilities effectively."

Community Broadband Centres such as the one in Sematan are the result of the Connected Communities approach under the USP Broadband Community Project initiated by MCMC. The aim is to provide collective access to broadband services for rural and remote communities living in the underserved areas.

These will ensure that communities living in underserved areas are connected to mainstream ICT development to enable and empower them, and bring about socio-economic development for these communities in the various sectors such as agriculture, education, health, business, amongst others that has a positive social and economic impact to the community in terms of human capital development and capacity building through dissemination of knowledge via communications service.

During the tour of the CBC, guests saw how students and adults were using the facilities for e-learning, blogging and marketing their cottage industries online. Another group of students were in a workshop learning how to use the Internet responsibly. These activities would be conducted regularly with relevant content partners as part of MCMC and DiGi's empowerment workshops to ensure sustainable success of the CBC for the people of Sematan.

DiGi laptops were also distributed to qualified individuals at the launch under a collaborative effort between DiGi and MCMC. Prizes were also presented by the guest of honour to the student winners of a PS3 football game tournament and a 1Malaysia poster colouring contest held earlier.

Issued by:
Corporate Communications Department.