PEDi to be rebranded by second quarter of 2024 – Fahmi

TASEK GELUGOR: The Digital Economy Centre (PEDi) will be given a new name and function in a rebranding exercise expected to be carried out by the second quarter of this year, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

Fahmi said the PEDi would be rebranded considering that the centres were also utilised by the community for activities that do not involve the digital economy.

PEDi are frequented by the public to get information about grants, assistance and services provided by the government, he said, adding that some PEDi also serve as post offices.

“So I see that there is a need for us to improve PEDi, maybe some rebranding in line with the new direction we are planning for PEDi.

“It’s not just a name change, but also the function because for example, PADU (Central Database Hub) registration, it is not a digital economy, (but) it utilises the existing infrastructure to assist the people,” he told reporters after visiting the Taman Gelugor Indah PEDi here yesterday.

Also present were the Ministry of Communications Secretary-General Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, its Deputy Secretary-General (Strategic Communications and Creative Industries) Nik Kamaruzaman Nik Husin, Information DiretorGeneral Datuk Mohd Sukari Ab Hamid and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ( MCMC) the Head of the State Coordination Division Bukhari Yahya.

Fahmi said that PEDi, as a community centre, can play a more important role in the dissemination of information to the masses, in addition to being a learning centre involving artificial intelligence (AI) activities for the local community.

“There is potential to expand (PEDi) and we also take note of the announcement by the prime minister during the PEDi meeting last Nov 29 on the increase in the allowance for managers, and with that, they also need to work more.

“That’s one of the reasons why we are having a new alignment for PEDi, a new function, especially to help the community get more accurate information about government policies, the assistance for the people and other services,” he said. — Bernama