Latest CBC to help promote development opportunities

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REDUCING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: Awang Tengah (left) having a chat with students browsing the Internet. Others (from second left) are Entrie, Wee and a MCMC staff.

SEMATAN: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and DiGi Telecommunication Sdn Bhd continues to live up to its promises to deliver Internet access for all with the launch of another Community Broadband Centre (CBC) in the state.

The CBC is part of a five-year project initiated and fully funded by MCMC via the Universal Service Provision (USP) fund to help promote equal opportunities for social and economic development to underserved communities.

Yesterday, the Minister of Public Utilities Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan launched a CBC in Sematan.

The CBC is the 14th site DiGi has been awarded to manage and operate.

Other CBC sites are in Johor, Melaka, Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, with Lundu as the first such centre launched last year.

“DiGi is committed to support the government’s effort to bridge the DiGital divide and provide communities in
underserved areas access to unlimited information and educational resources via Internet.”

“It is in line with our overall objective to deliver Internet access to all, thus enabling people from all walks of life to enjoy Internet services powered by DiGi Turbo SG network,” said DiGi Head of Region for Sarawak Benny Wee on the company ambitions for the Sematan CBC site.

He added that the company believed in generating additional value beyond connectivity for the people in Sematan, and for this the CBC site offers new applications and activities to bring more value to the community.

“The centre will also function as an e-learning  centre for students keen to compliment their school lessons.

“We are confident that creating a healthy and fun environment in CBCs is an ideal way to draw the rural communities to use the facilities effectively,” he explained.

CBC’s sites such as the one in Sematan are the result of the connected communities approach under the USP Broadband Community Project initiated by MCMC with the aim to provide collective access to broadband services for rural and remote communities.

This will ensure that communities living in underserved areas are connected to mainstream information and communication technology (ICT) development to empower them and to bring about socio-economic development in various sectors like agriculture, education, health and business.

DiGi laptops were also distributed at the launch under a collaborative effort between DiGi and MCMC, while prizes were also presented to student winners of a PS3 football tournament and a 1Malaysia poster colouring contest.

Meanwhile, DiGi has allocated some 100 laptops to be distributed to various schools in Lundu district.

Also present at the ceremony were Assistant Minister of Water
Supply Sylvester Entri Muran, Opar assemblyman Ranum Mina, MCMC Sarawak Region deputy director Adiman Ajem and Lundu District Officer Azmi Bujang.