JENDELA powers Sabah, Sarawak’s digital economy initiative
KUALA LUMPUR: In today’s sophisticated life, access to Internet is considered an essential requirement for the society to stay connected digitally, especially when the pandemic hit which saw an increase in the drive towards digitalisation.
As such, the government through the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia (KKMM) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is committed to ensuring that every citizen, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, will have access to Internet facilities despite living far inland.
In this regard, as a precautionary measure for Sabah and Sarawak to shift towards 5G technology, the government has allocated RM7.7 billion under the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA) Phase 1 (2020-2022) with RM3.61 billion allocated for Sabah and RM4.09 billion for Sarawak.
The allocation was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a speech in conjunction with the Malaysia Day celebration at the Sabah International Convention Center (SICC) last September.
Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the allocation for Sarawak was to build about 749 new telecommunication towers in the state.
According to him, it is in line with the Sarawak government’s efforts to drive and strengthen the use of the digital economy for its people.
“Through this allocation, we can also increase the construction of digital infrastructure such as telecommunication transmitters,” he said during a visit to the Connectivity Travel Program in Kampung Mongkos, Sarawak recently.
Meanwhile, according to a Bernama report, 78 of the 589 new towers under JENDELA in Sabah has been completed by MCMC as of September 30.
In another development, Annuar said, Community Internet Centers (PIK) nationwide would be transformed into the Malaysian Family Digital Economy Center (PEDi).
The PEDi launched by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on November 21 will see a total of 873 PEDi nationwide enhanced and intensified to produce and empower small entrepreneurs towards innovative and competitive digitization, especially in rural communities.
In addition, a total of 37 new PEDi will be opened in the first quarter of 2022, while another 173 PEDi will be operational by the end of next year. This brings a total of 1,083 PEDi to operate nationwide.
Annuar said, PEDi will enable villagers to learn the application of converting rural economic activities to digital economy.
“Locals will be given training by PEDi on how to participate in international e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Yezza to penetrate the global market.
“At the same time, they will also be taught how to market their products such as product branding, taking pictures or videos of suitable products and more,” he said.
PEDi helps entrepreneurs increase sales revenue
PEDi is an initiative under MCMC to provide Internet facilities to underserved areas as well as improve computer based skills and knowledge that are much needed today. PEDi also serves as a learning center that provides a variety of training, awareness programs and community engagement. Among the services provided by PEDi are Internet browsing, printing, photocopying, basic information and communication technology (ICT) skills training classes and others.
In addition, various digital entrepreneurship programs have been implemented at PEDi to guide entrepreneurs to expand their businesses to a wider market through e-commerce platforms. One of the entrepreneurs who was successfully mentored by PEDi Kampung Pasir Pandak, Sarawak, Haszian Junaidi said, the in -depth guidance of PEDi staff through entrepreneurship classes helped him a lot to expand his business.
“Through the knowledge I learned at PEDi can help me improve the way I advertise products through social media in an appropriate way, especially during the pandemic season.
“Besides that, I was also given exposure and guidance to become a more confident entrepreneur to continue to thrive in my business,” he said when contacted recently.
Haszian, who is a distributor of Mom’s Brand Sarawak Laksa Paste, also said that his sales increased after receiving training from PEDi.
“PEDi is suitable as a platform and also a ‘stop center’ to help promote products produced by Syarikat Bunga Azimat and the Mom’s Recipe brand,” he said.
Haszian hopes that more entrepreneurs, especially the community and the residents of Kampung Pasir Pandak themselves, will make PEDi in the village as a branch to expand their business.
For small entrepreneur Mohammad Zakaria Jamsari, his business sales managed to break beyond the record of RM4,500 per month with the help of PEDi Kampung Pasir Pandak.
“Previously, I only ran an agricultural business, selling mushrooms from my own crops on a part -time basis and due to the increasing demand, I decided to quit my job and focus on expanding this business further.
“Through the digital entrepreneurship program provided by PEDi, I started selling my mushrooms online using the Facebook and Instagram platforms.
“The training program provided by
PEDi is very helpful and the demand for my products is showing very good development.
“I am also confident that this program will benefit other entrepreneurs, especially small traders like me.
“Through this PEDi guidance as well, I was given guidance on using Microsoft Power Point as a preparatory step to present the results of my enterprise to those who are interested, especially organizations to buy the mushrooms that I work,” he said.
Mohammad Zakaria’s Que Mushroom Company has its own farm and produces fresh mushroom products, namely gray oyster mushrooms and white oyster mushrooms.
He said, his party also produces several types of mushrooms with limited production, namely Yellow Oyster Mushrooms, Pink Oyster Mushrooms and Monkey Ear Mushrooms.
“Besides selling fresh mushrooms. We also make mushrooms as a downstream product, namely Mushroom Sour, ”he said.
Entrepreneurship development is one of the main focuses at PEDi Kampung Pasir Pandak in an effort to empower local entrepreneurs towards innovative digitisation.
As of September 2021, a total of 1,380 participants from the local community have participated in the program provided by PEDi Kampung Pasir Pandak and 41 entrepreneurs have been trained and benefited through the program.