Ministry wants community internet centres to focus on digital economy

LANGKAWI: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) will carry out a transformation on the role of community Internet centres by making them to focus more on digital economy to help the people generate income.

Its minister, Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the ministry would work with telecommunication companies for the purpose, while the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) would provide the training platform.

“Actually, a lot have been done by the community Internet centres, in collaboration with telecommunication companies, in guiding and assisting local residents which have enabled them to participate in digital economic programmes.

“What is left is to expand the programmes and make them more systematic. So our focus is not just on coverage and speed of the Internet, but on applications that can lead to higher income, especially in rural areas,” he said when met by reporters after visiting the Kampung Padang Lalang Community Internet Centre here on Sunday.

He said digital economy has become a priority for the ministry to help revive the country’s economy and to help the people earn income after being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Annuar said KKMM also planned to increase the number of community Internet centres so that more people, especially in rural areas, would benefit. “We will increase the number, now there are more than 800 or almost 900. We expect in the near future to have 1,000 Internet centres,” he said.