CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Some 1,000 community Internet centres nationwide will be transformed into Malaysian Family Digital Economy Centres (PEDi) as part of efforts to boost digital economy activities among the rural population.

       Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said equipment and Internet access facilities would be improved at each centre, to boost the participation and the ability of the rural community to master the digital economy platform.

       He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) will coordinate workflow and provide training in empowering the people and ensure they utilise e-commerce to market local products at the global level.

       “Every PEDi will have an administrative board or committee, community representatives, non-governmental organisations and trade associations which will all work together as an administrative team so as to empower their rural community,” he said.

       Annuar added that this was important because the government does not want to be the only first-class infrastructure provider, with billions of ringgit spent through the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela), only to see poor levels of use, involvement and mastery.

       He told reporters this after a visit to the Tanah Rata Community Internet Centre here in conjunction with the ministry’s Kembara Connectivity programme, which was also attended by Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Nor and MCMC chairman Dr Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek.

       He said if in the past, many rural residents migrated to urban areas to get jobs or to do business, PEDi will now help them run businesses even from rural areas while still being able to venture into borderless foreign markets.

       During the visit, Annuar also announced the construction of a new telecommunication tower in Cameron Highlands involving an allocation of RM120mil, with work to start next week.

       “There will be facilities for the Orang Asli community in Cameron Highlands as well, InsyaAllah, by the end of next year, 90% will receive fibre-optic broadband services,” he said. — Bernama