KOTA KINABALU: There is more to DiGi Berhad than just providing mobile voice and Internet services to the people.
Business aside, DiGi also portrays itself as a caring company that contributes towards improving the people’s wellbeing as part of their corporate social responsibility programme.
“With our strong track record, we are able to harness our core competencies to accelerate efforts to bridge the digital divide, which is reflected in the company’s mission to deliver Internet for all.
“Our corporate responsibility (CR) approach is to leverage our core competencies to enable positive changes in society and our business environment. This is encapsulated in our three key areas of focus, namely Empowerment through Connectivity, Ethical and Responsible Business, and Climate Change and Environment,” said its business environment management head, Sumitra Nair.
She explained that these had been their key focus areas since 2009, which they continue to refine and strengthen in line with the dynamic nature of their business environment.
Nair said through Empowerment through Connectivity as the key CR focus, the rise of the Internet offered both fantastic possibilities for communities in developing economies.
“Malaysia is among the top five most connected countries in the region, with social networking penetration increasing at a rate of 91 per cent. The Internet has become an integral tool in today’s society for learning and acquiring knowledge and an important gateway to help Malaysia achieve its high income and developed country goal.
“According to World Bank, every 10 per cent increase in broadband penetration helps to increase economic growth by 1.3 per cent, hence our deep focus on empowering communities through connectivity. The Empowerment Through Connectivity therefore aims to drive access and accelerate efforts to bridge the digital divide, to provide Internet for All Malaysians … empowering them to achieve greater things,” she told The Borneo Post during a press conference here yesterday.
“There are two ways in which we empower communities, namely quality and affordable communications and community engagement.”
Through quality and affordable communications, DiGi does this in a relevant, convenient and affordable manner for them to benefit from connectivity.
“We offer a wide range of affordable and relevant price plans to suit various needs, including the prepaid Internet 1Malaysia package for Sabahans, the most affordable low entry cost prepaid Internet plan to encourage users to begin accessing the Internet and its benefits.
“DiGi also enables non-smartphone users to gain access to the Internet through applications like the DiGi-Opera Mini browser.
“With this, non-smartphone users can access and enjoy the full mobile Internet experience at a faster and cheaper rate,” said Nair.
Under the community engagement, DiGi approaches their traditional philanthropic model to strategically deploy their resources, either through technology or the people.
“We catalyse mobile and Internet-based innovations to bring about positive changes for all Malaysians by engaging youth to be part of the solution. Over the years, these community programmes have reached out to many under-served communities such as the urban poor, disabled, rural communities, single mothers and children under protection,” she said.
Some of the programmes include Challenge for Change. It is a competition that encourages entrepreneurship by having students create social ventures that help address existing social, economic and environmental challenges amongst under-served communities through the use of mobile and Internet technologies.
Nair added that in 2010, they funded a RM150,000 micro hydro project that now provides sustainable electricity to 30 over households in a rural community in Kampung Lumpagas, located at the border between Sabah and Kalimantan, Indonesia.
This year, two winners were chosen for the Sabah-level competition both from Universiti Malaysia Sabah, namely Team Eco Tech and Team Grand Ladies.
Team Eco Tech grabbed DiGi’s heart through their scheme to collect leftover food from restaurants and convert this waste into environmentally friendly detergent, while Team Grand Ladies collected fabric off-cuts from textile factories and converted them into patchwork quilts which created income opportunities for jobless single mothers.
“Team Grand Ladies marketed these patchwork quilts through online business, thus helping the mothers earn a living,” she said.
As for the DiGi CyberSAFE programme, while empowering, they also advocate responsible use of the Internet and sought to raise awareness amongst children, parents, teachers and guardians to create a safe and family-friendly Internet experience in over 200 schools nationwide.
“We are hosting a workshop today, the first in East Malaysia,” she said, yesterday.
Meanwhile, DiGi Sabah Region head Ng Chak Khin said the telecommunication company had done various community engagements in the state.
“We are very much a part of the Sabah community, and for the past four years, we have been sponsoring and supporting the annual Kaamatan (Harvest) Festival which is aimed at showing our support to the state’s tourism promotion efforts.
“DiGi has also been working closely with Kota Kinabalu City Hall by sponsoring events such as the New Year, Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, Christmas, and the Nunuk Ragang Cultural Festival in Ranau,” said Ng.
He added that with all in place, DiGi hoped to expand its coverage by year-end by more than double its current level.
“We are in the process of transforming the network coverage by swapping equipment. Already, our 3G footprints are available from the state capital to Papar, and other major towns such as Sandakan, Tawau and Lahad Datu, as well as Donggongon, Keningau and Labuan,” he said.