Julaihi (centre) looks at a person using the facilities at NADI Teku today.
SIBU (Jan 10): A total of 23 new National Information Dissemination Centres (NADI) have been established in Sarawak and have been operational since the end of 2024, said state Utilities and Telecommunication minister Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.
He said this is part of the government’s effort to strengthen information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure in the state.
He said out of the 23, three NADIs have been completed and officially launched today in Sibu, located in Teku, Pelawan and Salim.
“This is part of the 23 new NADIs approved by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) last year.
“With this addition, Sarawak now has 156 operational NADIs throughout the state,” he told reporters after visiting NADI Teku here today.
According to him, the NADI facilities are the result of collaboration between the Federal and Sarawak governments to enhance public access to digital technology.
“In Sarawak, we are implementing initiatives to complement the efforts of the Malaysian government. The main objective is to ensure that the people, especially in rural areas, benefit from these facilities,” he explained.
Julaihi also noted that NADI not only provides high-speed internet access of up to 800Mbps but also offers ICT training for local residents, with a focus on students from the B40 group.
“At NADI Teku, 60 per cent of registered users are students, while the remaining 40 per cent are local community members.
“This demonstrates the positive reception from the community, particularly school students,” he said.
He added that NADI is equipped with 10 laptops to be used by the public, and they are also allowed to bring their own devices to utilise the available facilities and internet connection.
He expressed hope that such facilities would drive digital transformation in Sarawak, thereby making the state more competitive at both national and international levels.
Also present during the visit were Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunications (Utilities) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi; Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang; and Sibu Resident Abang Mohamad Porkan Abang Budiman.