THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021

connectivity for all As commemorates the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, it has much to celebrate when it comes to driving digital transformation and narrowing the digital gap for the rakyat in the challenging year that was - and what’s to come for a digital Malaysia. 2 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 2 Bridging the digital divide for the nation’s future Message from the Prime Minister

Digital economy focus > Develop agile and competent dig- In the short term, the ital talent Government has undertaken > Foster an inclusive digital society various initiatives to improve > Create a trusted, secure and ethi- Malaysia’s economic landscape, cal digital environment alongside introducing key relief Implementation is divided into measures to address both the three phases: Phase One to tangible and intangible challenges strengthen the foundation of digital THE evolution of technology rapid- arising from the pandemic, which adoption starting from 2021 to ly accelerated with the turn of the have also negatively impacted the 2022, Phase Two to drive inclusive decade, creating a paradigm shift livelihood of the people. digital transformation from 2023 to where constant change is the norm The Government has also 2025, as well as Phase Three to Sabah in an increasingly digital world. taken steps to ensure that both the position Malaysia as a digital con- The onset of the Covid-19 pan- people and the country continue tent and cybersecurity leader in Gateway was demic has only served to demon- moving forward to realise the 12th the regional market from 2026 to launched in strate the intensifying need for Malaysia Plan, along the way to 2030. September last Malaysia to embrace existing and achieving the Shared Prosperity year, making emerging innovations in moving Vision as a high-income nation by Sabah the the lives of the people, who have 2030. For strong foundations biggest also quickly adapted to new norms Essential in reaching this aspira- Under the thrust of enabling dig- beneficiary and new ways of doing things in tion is boosting the competitive- ital infrastructure, a total of of the Jendela carrying out their daily activities. ness and resilience of Malaysia’s RM21bil has been earmarked for initiative. Thus, the theme of the 2021 economic growth through the digi- the implementation of the National World Telecommunication and tal economy, driven by a sustaina- Digital Infrastructure Plan ASSALAMUALAIKUM and The Government has intro- Information Society Day (WTISD) ble digital ecosystem that is pow- (Jendela), which was announced by resources for fixed and mobile and other relevant technologies. which played a significant role in Salam Sejahtera. duced various strategic plans to 2021 - “Driving Digital ered by a robust digital infrastruc- Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin access with several targets: Sabah, as the largest beneficiary shaping the entire 5G landscape Annually on May 17, the enable the people and the eco- Transformation in Challenging ture - the core of the recently Mohd Yassin on Aug 29 last year. > Fiberise 7.5 million premises of the Jendela initiative, will see with the 5G Malaysia World Telecommunications and nomic sector to embrace the Times” - is apt. launched Malaysia Digital This action plan, which will > Expand network coverage aggressive telecommunication Demonstration Project (5GDP). Information Society Day tide of digitalisation, as It’s clear to see that technology is Economy Blueprint (MyDigital) in ensure that Malaysia is well-pre- from 91.8% to 96.9% in populated infrastructure development, espe- The 5GDP was introduced to (WTISD) is celebrated around Malaysia cannot be left behind indispensable in daily life, power- February earlier this year. pared to embrace 5G in the near areas cially in the 30 state legislative facilitate, build and foster the the world, and this year, it is in bridging the digital divide. ing more and more diverse appli- The blueprint charts the path to future, is aimed at strengthening > Increase mobile broadband assembly constituencies that have development of high-potential use themed “Accelerating Digital Hence, the Government in cations with time, be it the pur- strategically position the country as the country’s existing connectivity speed from 25Mbps to 35Mbps been identified as lagging behind cases in a real but controlled envi- Transformation in challenging collaboration with the public chase of goods and shopping, activ- Jendela, which will ensure that Malaysia is well-prepared to embrace 5G a competitive force in the new era, by expanding the fixed-line fibre > Sunset the 3G network in in terms of telecommunication ronment, in order to expand the 5G times”. and private sectors have identi- ities relating to payment transac- in the near future, is aimed at strengthening the country’s existing con- with comprehensive plans to accel- optic network to cover almost stages by service providers until facilities. ecosystem nationwide across vari- The theme is apt given that fied three key strategies - access, tions or the operation of an organi- nectivity. erate progress towards a techno- 100% of all populated areas in stag- end-2021 to improve 4G network The crux is Gerbang Sabah ous industry sectors and industries. the world countries are still financial capability and skills - sation. logically-advanced economy. It es - from 7.5 million premises quality and support future 5G (Sabah Gateway), a submarine As at end-2020, Malaysia success- grappling with social and eco- as the focus area in addressing Beyond that, its role has also centre stage as a driving force to and urban populations. identifies six strategic thrusts: passed by end-2022 to 9 million network implementation fibre optic cable landing station in fully demonstrated 71 use cases nomic challenges due to the the challenges of digital divide drastically transformed. From revive the national economy and And it is this inequitable state of > Drive digital transformation in premises passed by end-2025. Following that will be Phase Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, that with a total investment of Covid-19 pandemic. In conjunc- among Malaysians. being a backseat enabler for empower society. affairs that the Government, the public sector Under Jendela, there are two Two. The crucial starting point of houses the Malaysian People’s RM131mil in 50 5G base station tion with this celebration and Under efforts to increase increased efficiency and productiv- But equally undeniable is Covid- through agencies such as the > Boost economic competitiveness phases that will be implemented in the country’s transition towards Cable System (SKRM) landing cen- sites comprising of nine industry the theme of the year, it is cru- access, digital infrastructure ity - old school customer relation- 19’s spillover effect, which has Malaysian Communications and through digitalisation stages. 5G, this phase will focus on bridg- tre to develop broadband facilities verticals - smart cities; entertain- cial for us to redirect Malaysia’s was expanded and strength- ship management systems, for brought to light the glaring digital Multimedia Commission (MCMC), > Build enabling digital infrastruc- Phase One, which starts from ing the digital gap from Phase One throughout Sabah. ment and media; oil and gas; tour- development towards digitalisa- ened through the national digi- example - technology has taken disparity between rural, suburban is determined to change. ture 2020 to 2022, will optimise existing and introduce fixed wireless access Managed by ism; manufacturing and process- tion and renew our determina- tal infrastructure plan Jendela. Bhd (TM), the Sabah Gateway ing; education; smart transporta- tion to achieve this transforma- While, the commercial rollout serves as the connection point for tion; digital healthcare; agriculture tion at every level through the of 5G technology is expected to Sabah’s broadband to the outside - across seven states, namely involvement of all citizens, begin in the fourth quarter of world. Other service providers will Kedah, Pahang, Penang, Perak, improvement of Government this year. utilise the capacity available at the Selangor, Terengganu and Kuala delivery systems and technolog- On improving the affordabili- Sabah Gateway to connect the sub- Lumpur. ical transition in the industrial ty, the Government has recently marine cable exchange, telecom- The initiative took a collabora- sectors. launched the Jaringan Prihatin munication towers and various tive approach involving stakehold- Digitisation has been identi- Programme, which provides Internet devices. ers such as strategic industry part- fied as an important foundation subsidies on Internet data sub- By 2022, 419 new telecommuni- ners and various ministries, as part for the development of the scriptions and the purchase of cation towers will be built across of efforts to advance the develop- country, as well as the society. smart devices to 8.4 million B40 Sabah, while 1,972 transmitters ment of a comprehensive 5G eco- Over the past two decades, households. will be upgraded to 4G. An addi- system through a variety of new many changes have taken place The Government’s concern tional 251,166 premises will be pro- approaches, including network and in the digital world and the phe- for the B40s does not stop here. vided with fibre optic fixed line infrastructure sharing between nomenon of digital life can no The digital literacy aspect is connections. The total estimated service providers, policy reviews, longer be curbed. also actively developed by vari- cost is RM2.45bil for these addi- research collaborations and more. In addition to social and envi- ous agencies, whereby under tions and improvements. New innovative services will ronmental impact, digitisation the Malaysian Communications Via an additional RM100mil allo- emerge in many aspects of life, also has a huge impact on the and Multimedia Commission, cation, the capacity of SKRM in ranging from virtual reality tech- economic development and about 873 Community Internet Sabah Gateway will be increased nology, autonomous robots and competitiveness of a country. Centres are in operation across more than three times from the drones to remote medical consult- The Government projected that the country to provide Internet original capacity of 4Tbps to 12.8 ing and monitoring of industrial the digital sector will contribute facilities to underserved areas, Tbps in the next three years. operations. RM500bil to the national econo- as well as to inculcate comput- This comes on top of the initial In addition, between RM12bil to my or 20% of the gross domestic er-based skills and know-how RM575.5mil investment, of which RM15bil will be invested by cloud product by 2025. that have become indispensable MCMC contributed RM383.7mil, service providers (CSP) over the These digital transformation attribute for everyone today. while TM invested RM191.8mil. next five years. efforts are embodied in In addition, the establishment To date, conditional permission MyDigital plan, which was of Warongku e-commerce plat- has been given to four CSP compa- launched on Feb 19, 2021. form under SME Corp offers Accelerating 5G rollout nies - Microsoft, Google, Amazon MyDigital provides direction training and there are many The implementation of 5G is set and TM - to build and manage and guidance to all stakehold- such initiatives available for the to start earlier than expected, in hyperscale data centres and cloud ers, including the Government, people. the fourth quarter of 2021 as com- services, which will increase data industry and the people to drive In conjunction with WTISD pared to the previous 2022 target, storage space, reduce operating digital transformation in an 2021, I urge every Malaysian, by focusing on covering selected costs and improve analytics effi- integrated manner. whether villagers, city dwellers, localities and high density areas by ciency. The digital transformation corporate or Government peo- 2023. As a measure to strengthen pub- has opened up a wider space ple, to start thinking and be This will position Malaysia as lic sector cloud computing services for virtual interaction and social resilient to find opportunities, one of the first Asean countries to through the Cloud-first strategy, the inclusion. so that they can all get involved enjoy 5G connectivity, while efforts Government has targeted the At the same time, it also in the digital transformation to enhance 4G utilisation and net- migration of 80% of public data to increases the risk of inequality agenda, so as not to be left work quality to benefit the rakyat the hybrid cloud system by end- for those who are not digitally behind. will be ramped up at the same 2022. connected. Together, we work hand-in- time. In addition to collecting and The reality is, there are still hand to reduce the digital The Digital Nasional Bhd special managing data more effectively people who are marginalised divide so that every society can purpose vehicle is tasked with and smoothly, the strategy can and left behind by the current enjoy a balanced stream of digi- developing and managing the 5G reduce government costs in infor- digitalisation efforts in our talisation. network in Malaysia through a mation technology management in country. wholesale model, which will see the long run. Cloud services will Among them are those living TAN SRI MUHYIDDIN YASSIN RM15bil invested over 10 years for also enable big data application, in rural areas, the elderly, or 5G rollout in the country and cre- artificial intelligence, the Internet those with relatively low digital PRIME MINISTER OF ate almost 105,000 jobs. of Things and other technologies to literacy. MALAYSIA The country’s 5G journey was be used in strengthening kick-started in 2018 by MCMC, Government services. 4 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 Pioneering Malaysia’s shared network

THE pandemic forced people around the globe to embrace digi­ talisation, especially when most countries started to impose lock­ The network gives multiple service providers access to wholesale Allo is taking on the responsibility to eliminate the digital gap across downs or movement control orders services on one physical network infrastructure at shared costs, to both urban and rural areas, so that all Malaysians can enjoy the same to curb the spread of the virus. unlock opportunities for the underserved community. broadband connection. During this period, mobile devi­ ces and connectivity were what wholly-owned subsidiary of Tenaga served areas – benefit their sub­ uninterrupted service to partner­ and Selangor among others, with a kept people connected to the out­ Nasional Bhd has introduced the scribers and the local economy. ing RSPs at Layer 2 network and projected 150,000 homepasses by side world, enabling workers to do Open-Access network. The network is also a feasible bringing HSBB to end consumers. the second quarter of this year. their jobs remotely and students to Despite being a first in Malaysia, way of deploying high-speed The ACNS, designed as a fully In five years, Allo aims to fibre continue their education online. the concept is already widely broadband, when other RSPs are meshed network targeted to deli­ up half a million homepasses. On one hand, it has highlighted known in other countries such as unable to obtain sufficient return ver up to 99.999% uptime, is touted To date, Allo has collaborated the inherent human need for con­ the United States and Sweden. on investment to cover the high to be the most robust transborder with several RSPs to expand their nectivity; but on the other hand, A neutral and wholesome costs of laying their own fibre terrestrial system ever built. digital footprints and serve the there is also a digital divide among shared infrastructure for service infrastructure. It allows Allo to offer better data end-users residing in underserved communities living in urban areas providers,­ open access means On top of that, it stimulates transmission for speed and quanti­ areas with various broadband and those residing in rural areas. that multiple service providers healthy competition among service ty due to its higher capacity, while plans at affordable prices and It is this realisation that led Allo gain access to wholesale services providers to offer more options for its digital nature also ensures more choices. Technology Sdn Bhd (Allo) to take on one physical network infra­ both residential or corporate seamless route protection. In April last year, Allo also on the responsibility to eliminate structure at shared costs, enabling customers as there are more Allo’s role in driving digital entered a landmark partnership the gap, so that urban and under­ them to reach end-users without options available. connectivity can be seen when Allo with a leading pay-TV provider to served areas can enjoy the same the need for them to deploy a new Allo believes that the shared launched the first state to be com­ bring the best of TV and broad­ broadband connection, in line with fibre access network. infrastructure brings progressive pletely fiberised, offering Internet band services to selectively target­ the Government’s National Digital Constructed and managed by opportunities not just for RSPs, but speeds up to 1Gbps to 17,000 ed areas. Infrastructure Plan, Jendela. Allo, the network enables quicker also unlocks opportunities for the homes. Apart from that, several Demonstrating its mettle in and more economical expansion of underserved community. The successful implementation negotiations are underway to allow constantly challenging the status retail service providers’ (RSPs) foot­ Running through Allo Carrier led to further expansion in other other RSPs to leverage their quo when it comes to technological print, in turn helping future-proof Network System (ACNS) backhaul, regions, including Perak, Kedah, infrastructure, to bring Malaysians advancement in the country, the their infrastructure to reach under­ the Open-Access Network offers Penang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan the connectivity they deserve. Going back to basics Other value-add TELCO companies in Malaysia team actively engaged the commu­ campaigns that the have played a huge and significant nity in person, meeting folks from telco has organised role in supporting businesses, espe­ various walks of life. in the past are cially for the community of micro, Going “back to basics” over teh Extended Validity of small and medium enterprises tarik sessions, its team would offer up to 180 days, (SMEs) that not only make up the the community guidance to better which ran from bulk of local business establish­ understand the use of digital­ tech­ June 26 until Dec ments, but also represent the back­ technology options available, nology and ways to enhance their 31, 2020 as well as bone of the country’s economy. addressing a range of enterprises businesses – in short, to walk in 20% Credit Rebate, Altel’s contribution towards the at various stages of digitalisation their shoes is the best way to pro­ which ran from growth and development of micro and with different literacy levels: vide support. March 22 until Apr SMEs has always been anchored from those with basic telecommu­ The pandemic brought about the 30 this year. on a strong grasp on the essential nications needs to those learning need to adapt to rapid changes and needs of the community and utilis­ how to maximise today’s readily while Altel experienced fewer face- ing the “back to basics” approach. available digital applications. to-face opportunities to reach out As many of these enterprises are By thoroughly understanding to the micro SMEs, it remained Reload Bonus campaign, Altel has cles in real-time, which helps still in the midst of learning to their specific challenges, Altel can committed to continuing to engage proven its consistent focus on giv­ enhance productivity, safety and adopt and apply digital technology provide an avenue for enterprises the community through alterna­ ing back to subscribers as much as efficiency. into their operations, some may to reach out and address various tives. it can by giving added value. Moving forward, Altel’s continu­ find it challenging when trying to issues, including managing the use Providing convenience through Aside from mobile plans, Altel ous commitment to supporting understand the use of the existing of their Internet services, maximis­ Altel’s app is another method to also provides digital solutions to enterprises via telecommunica­ platforms in the market. ing the value of their telco spend, enable its subscribers to better SMEs and micro SMEs through its tions and digital technology will For this reason, Altel has been on as well as integrating new digital manage their telco needs anytime, corporate solutions business arm. expand through its offerings of a journey to reach out to the com­ applications to improve their day- anywhere; but more importantly, Among the solutions offered is enhanced mobile plans and the munity by interacting and provid­ to-day operations. can spend within their means. GPS tracking for fleet management Internet of Things solutions to bet­ ing support on the various digital Before the pandemic, Altel’s Additionally, through its recent for companies to track their vehi­ ter cater to the needs of these businesses. As the business community fights to survive through these challenging times, Altel lauds their perseverance and aims to help them by continuing to play its role Altel as a service provider, shouldering engages the responsibilities of providing with the them with sustainable telecommu­ business nication and digital technology community support, to heal and grow the to under- country’s economy. stand their Established in 2014 as a subsidi­ needs via ary of Altel Holdings Sdn Bhd, Altel their Teh is a mobile virtual network opera­ Tarik “back tor that provides telecommunica­ to basics” tion and digital technology sessions. solutions to Malaysia’s SMEs and micro SMEs. THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 5 Creating future-ready communities gestion, delivering consistent net- work services and experience. In addition, also estab- lished a Rapid Response Team to address Covid-19 connectivity chal- lenges, prioritising network cover- Celcom age, optimisation and upgrading established a works within rural communities. Rapid THROUGHOUT its 33-year history, Celcom’s accelerated network Response Celcom Axiata Bhd (Celcom) has investment program included Team to acted as a catalyst to bridge the dig- upgrading new 4G equipment and address and ital divide and help build an inclu- core network optimisation works prioritise sive digital nation. at over 4,700 sites nationwide. network It has always placed great impor- In addition, Celcom embarked coverage, tance in providing connectivity to on a nationwide cluster optimisa- optimisation the people, which is why Celcom’s tion programme for 3,600 network and network has the widest mobile cov- sites to address video buffering upgrading erage in Malaysia. issues and deliver better voice and works within Driven by the belief that no one video quality, by August 2021. rural should be left behind in today’s dig- Since December last year, communities. ital ecosystem, Celcom has been Celcom has deployed new network accelerating its network upgrading base stations, upgraded and opti- and optimisation works, including mised 4G coverage in rural loca- supported the government’s efforts ers’ data subscription. sharing for over 1,500 rural entre- various initiatives to accelerate dig- tions nationwide, including in assisting communities to adapt In support of students preparing preneurs to embark on e-com- ital transformations across commu- Kampung Jemukan, Sarawak, to the new norm, especially in for their examinations, Celcom merce businesses since 2018. nities in the country. Kampung Bukit Pampong, Raub, ensuring the continuity of educa- together with the industry initiated Another initiative, called The critical importance of digital Pahang, Bukit Petai, Jeranggau, tion for Malaysian children. a special data package for SPM and Perkhidmatan e-Dagang Setempat, connectivity was further accelerat- Kelantan, Kg Bunuk, Sarawak, Kg Targeting primarily students STPM candidates, as well as stu- in collaboration with the Malaysia ed by the pandemic, evidenced by Mambong and Puncak Borneo, who were preparing for SPM and dents in higher learning institu- Digital Economy Corporation, the rapid increase in data utilisa- Sarawak. STPM exams residing within 30 tions (IHLs). empowers and supports micro tion in both urban and rural areas. PPRs in nine states - Penang, Perak, small and medium enterprise More Malaysians are now turn- Inclusivity for communities , Negeri Sembilan, products in rural areas via e-com- ing to digital services to carry out Melaka, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu Reducing digital gaps for all merce adoption and enablement daily activities such as education, Furthermore, Celcom accelerat- and Sabah - access to free WiFi was Going just beyond providing con- programmes. entertainment and business while ed its digital inclusivity initiative provisioned via Celcom Home nectivity, Celcom is also conscious There is also Mahir Digital Felda, staying safe at home. by reaching out to communities in Wireless until Apr 30. about its inclusive digital which targets youths within the selected People’s Housing Projects The service enabled unlimited nation-building aspiration and con- communities of Celcom’s Felda (PPR) with the provision of free data usage for learning applica- tinuously drives digital entrepre- Internet Centres nationwide, to be Consistent accessibility WiFi and extended operating hours tions and online classroom sessions neurship initiatives to empower equipped with digital entrepre- In 2020, despite the challenges of Community Internet Centres via productivity applications. rural communities with e-com- neurship skills. from the pandemic and the move- earlier this year. Since March 2020, Celcom merce skills and mindsets, reduc- Similarly, the KPT-Celcom ment control order (MCO), Celcom Focusing on students from B40 together with industry service pro- ing the digital gaps nationwide Siswapreneur initiative is a collab- accelerated its network invest- families within these communities, viders have been continuously sup- These initiatives include oration with the Higher Education ments for crucial areas that needed the free connectivity facilitated porting Malaysians working and DesaMall and Desa Harapan in col- Ministry for private and public connectivity. home-based teaching and learning learning from home, with the pro- laboration with the Rural IHLs to design and develop entre- These investments resulted with due to the MCO. vision of free 1GB data daily, valid Development Ministry, which facil- preneurship skills and mindset a reduction of network traffic con- Celcom has also wholeheartedly for 24 hours, on top of the consum- itated training and knowledge among students. Building an inclusive, resilient digital nation

Digi has been cham- pioning digi- tal resilience and safer internet for all in the past decade through its flagship Safe Internet programme.

WHEN the pandemic hit last year, privacy tips for parents to help most effective way to scale and Malaysia – like the rest of the world protect their children’s privacy in maximise positive impact on the – had to quickly adjust to a new the new normal, among several communities and economies we normal that centred around measures that it has put in place to operate in. Thus, Digi has been digitalisation and connectivity. advocate best practices in privacy championing digital resilience and This inevitably put a spotlight on Digi distributes micro:bits to students at a rural PIK. and data protection. safer Internet for all in the past the need to expedite the country’s Besides safeguarding privacy decade through its flagship Safe digital infrastructure improve- STPM students, free 4G WiFi at for the past decade. and data, Digi also recognises the Internet programme. ments, as well as the digital dispa­ People’s Housing Projects, Recently, it launched the Yellow importance of preparing children Digi has recently extended its rity across different communities. MYBaikHati campaign to crowd- Heart Safe Internet Portal, a one- for a digital future by equipping long-running partnership with To this end, the National Digital source and repurpose pre-loved stop repository of educational them with digital knowledge and Unicef as part of our Yellow Heart Infrastructure Plan Jendela was devices and the Penjana SME digi- material, to equip Malaysians with skills. promise to empower more rolled out to shore up the nation’s talisation grant to help businesses the right tools and knowledge to As such, the telco has been Malaysians with skills for an foundations of connectivity, paving in the digital transformation jour- safely use the Internet. actively leading digital learning accelerated digital future. the way for Malaysia to become a ney, just to name a few. These include guidebooks for programmes for the community. All in all, today, Internet digital nation. As more aspects of daily life parents and children, video series, Under the Future Skills for All connectivity impacts nearly every Various joint initiatives are transacted over the Internet – national syllabus modules, aware- programme - in partnership with part of Malaysian lives. between the government and particularly for education, ness on scams and more. Unicef Malaysia, the Malaysia Last year has demonstrated telecommunication industry were productivity and commerce – it is With most activities moving to Digital Economy Corporation and that Digi’s purpose of empowering also introduced to assist the under- the responsibility of service online, all these resources can help the Education Ministry (MOE) - Digi societies, by connecting people served community in gaining providers such as Digi to combine Malaysians build stronger knowl- has distributed micro:bit quick- to what matters most, is more access to affordable connectivity the services it delivers to customers edge on cyber risks and develop start learning kits to schools and relevant than ever. and digital devices, to facilitate and the society with the guidance their intuition to be more resilient Community Internet Centres (PIK), And it is this purpose that will home-based e-learning and remote needed to wield such tools ably digital citizens. benefiting about 7,000 students. continue to drive Digi to enable working at a time when movement and responsibly. Another important aspect of The telco also contributed digital participation for all Malaysians, was restricted. In this regard, through Digi’s Internet security is protecting content to MOE’s Digital advance connectivity to accelerate These include free daily 1GB Yellow Heart initiatives, the telco data privacy online, especially Educational Learning Initiative the digital future, as well as productivity Internet for all, has been championing education for children, in the digital age. Malaysia programme. Digi strongly safeguard both people and data in special data packages for SPM/ awareness in staying safe online Digi has made available simple believes that partnerships are the the digital world and beyond. 6 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 7 Empowering the underserved with digital literacy

THE Community Internet Centres connectivity, thus allowing programmes have been imple- (PIK) plays a crucial role in bridg- residents to use online platforms to mented at PIKs to guide entrepre- ing the digital literacy gap among make a living by generating neurs to expand their business to a the underserved community in additional income through online wider market through e-commerce rural areas. business activities, stay updated platforms. It acts as an alternative for the with current developments or This has resulted in higher sales people facing difficulty in getting learn new skills. revenue, while generating lucrative fair coverage to stay connected, by These facilities are part of the income for them. taking advantage of the facilities Malaysian Communications and Currently, there are a total 20,353 available at 873 PIK nationwide. Multimedia Commission’s efforts to active PIK entrepreneurs in the Each PIK has information and close the digital divide among the country. communication technology (ICT) underprivileged, so as to ensure As at Dec 31 last year, a total of equipment, high-speed Internet that no one is left behind in the 2.7 million participants from the access and full-time staff to help current digital age. local community have been visitors use the services available recorded attending programmes to its best. Strengthening digital and training offered at PIKs - based PIK is an initiative under on ICT, science and technology, Universal Service Provision. Besides connectivity multimedia, the Internet of Things, providing opportunities for peo- Since its establishment in 2007, Communications e-learning and community ple to enjoy quality broadband ser- about 14 years ago, PIKs have and Multimedia engagement. vices, PIKs also help in improving undergone a series of transforma- Minister Datuk The number of registered PIK their socioeconomic status via tions to better serve the needs of Saifuddin Abdullah members has also reached capacity building and upksilling the people. (right) during a site 678,000, while more than 520,000 transformation efforts. During that time, its role has also visit to PIK Rantau non-members also benefit from The PIK transformation involves enhanced from providing Internet Panjang in Sibu, various facilities and services service improvement and addition access to people in underserved Sarawak. provided at all its 873 centres of content or courses, optimisation and rural areas to a learning across Malaysia. of PIK usage as well as assistance centre that offers various training in packaging and product market- and awareness programmes to ing to entrepreneurs. spur community involvement. In addition to digital accesibility, PIKs also act as an information this is expected to boost the rapid centre where various Government Distribution of Community Internet Centres (PIKs) in Malaysia growth of the digital economy, as and private initiatives are imple- PIKs nurture new and young mented, including the recent entrepreneurs, emerging as the Covid-19 vaccine registration focal point for the economic activi- assistance for the needy in the said ties of the people within the stipu- areas. lated vicinity. The role of PIKs is significant 13 70 especially in the time of the Introducing inclusive pandemic, which has demanded Perlis Kelantan the application of new norms in initiatives daily life. Along with the Government, service providers mutually agreed Facilitating education and 115 to extend the operating hours of 54 entrepreneurship 73 64 Community Internet Centres (PIK) 873 Sabah located at People’s Housing Projects Physical learning sessions in Kedah Terengganu (PPRs) nationwide to enable stu- schools and institutions of higher INTERNET CENTRES 2 dents to do revision and prepare learning, for instance, have been for exams. severely affected. Labuan This meant that from Jan 9 to the Hence, PIKs are now the main end of April this year, the PIKs focus for students, especially for 1 108 were open from 9am to 9pm daily, those who live in underserved except for public holidays. and rural areas with less coverage, Pulau Pinang Pahang In addition, a total of 130 PPRs to attend virtual classes or exams. across the country were identified Over time, entrepreneurship to receive free WiFi access, development has also become a installed by telecommunication key agenda at PIKs, in line with companies that volunteered. efforts to empower local communi- 66 42 To date, all WiFi services are still ties towards innovative, sustaina- operating to benefit the oft-margin- ble digital entrepreneurship. Perak Selangor alised with the convenience of Various digital entrepreneurship 4 86 Putrajaya Johor 129 Sarawak 21 Kuala Lumpur 50 29 Negri Sembilan Melaka

More than just internet or capability development centres, PIKs also act as a focal point for community activities and outreach programmes. graphics 8 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 Enabling M’sians to always be ahead

AS the world continues to move forward in the new normal, there is no doubt that these unprecedented times have shed a bright light on the need for greater digital adoption. While digitalisation has been high up on the agenda for nations across the globe, the pandemic has shown that it is a lifeline for eKelas Usahawan is a structured digital individuals, communities and businesses. marketing programme that comprises a In such a rapidly-evolving digital series of digital marketing workshops. landscape, Maxis plays a critical role in accelerating digitalisation through advanced hands-on approach to equipping entrepre- connectivity, innovation in products and neurs with digital tools and skills to help services, as well as providing access to digital them grow their respective business and tools and learning – especially for those in Maxis hosts events such as the eKelas Highly Immersive Programme StoryFest Essay expand their income opportunities. the rural communities. Writing 2021 in PIK Kg Taee, Sarawak. Targeted towards empowering women Since 2017, Maxis has been fostering digi- entrepreneurs in rural communities to tal inclusion through its flagship community A major milestone achieved in 2019 was content. develop a stronger online presence, the programme eKelas, an after-school digital when Maxis eKelas was recognised by the During the various phases of the move- programme collaborates with local NGOs learning initiative for students in rural Education Ministry as an initiative under its ment control order, eKelas pivoted to enable in different states to identify specialised communities from Year 6 to Form 5. Highly Immersive Programme, where eKelas students to continue learning with content and training partners, as well as The eKelas portal provides quality students are eligible to collect co-curricular zero data charges, when accessing the eKelas entrepreneurs. education content and enrichment through marks from their participation in eKelas. portal from home or mobile. It has already benefited 186 women experiential learning with a current focus on Over 550 schools have the programme to Digital engagement was also ramped up entrepreneurs in Sabah and Selangor since Science, Mathematics and English – via live date. in the portal, where students were able to its launch. tutorials by experienced teachers, group Content has always been a key driver for interact with the portal’s community manag- Maxis remains committed in supporting learning, competitions and access to digital eKelas as it keeps students engaged with er, Abang Portal, for guided learning. the rakyat and the nation through content – in line with the Malaysian school exciting and compelling material. Meanwhile, building upon learnings from sustainable and empowering programmes syllabus. The eKelas portal has over 2,000 bite-sized a challenging pandemic year in 2020, Maxis that aim to create digital literacy, improved The programme is available at all 118 PIK videos notes and worksheets, seminar increased its support for communities in social well-being and an inclusive digital Community Internet Centres under Maxis’ videos, as well as 10,000+ eBooks and 500 driving digital adoption among society. care that serve as digital hubs for these com- audio books through partnership with entrepreneurs and micro, small and medium As the country’s leading converged munities across 10 states. Malaysia’s National Library. enterprises. solutions provider, it is staying true to its In addition, SPM Exam Clinics are also Maxis has also collaborated with partners In March this year, it launched eKelas brand purpose of bringing together the best conducted via Maxis eKelas YouTube such as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Usahawan, a structured digital marketing of technologies to enable people, businesses channel to share tips and tricks on how to the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation to programme that comprises a series of digital and the nation can always be ahead in a score in Mathematics, Science and English. co-create exciting videos, as well as STEM marketing workshops with a practical and changing world.

REDTONE has come a long way from being a discounted call provider – albeit a very suc- cessful one – to what it is now, a leading inte- grated telecommunications and digital ser- vices provider for organisations in Malaysia. Connecting the unconnected Two and a half decades after its establish- ment, the company remains just as passion- ate about creating lasting value for its stake- holders, while doing its part to serve the peo- ple and make a positive impact by delivering reliable digital infrastructure and services. Over the years, Redtone has reiterated its access to new information, knowledge and commitment to supporting the government business opportunities. in providing mobile and Internet access to This will ultimately pave the way for them underserved communities and areas by to achieve better and more sustainable leveraging on its telco engineering expertise household income. and know-how. Through the PIK project, Redtone provides The company first expanded into the telco a one-stop learning centre for villagers. engineering business in 2012 when it was Besides Internet access, the company also awarded the Kampung Tanpa Wayar (KTW) facilitates training programmes that focus on project. Since then, it has been instrumental micro-entrepreneur development, including in the successful roll-out of numerous large Establishing infrastructure in the most difficult of environments is a key step in bringing leveraging digital technology to expand Universal Service Provision (USP) projects, connectivity to all. small businesses. namely KTW, Time-3, T3-extension and On top of that, Redtone offers training to Community Internet Centres (PIK) all within assist the younger generation in acquiring a the short span of eight years. basic computer and IT knowledge. While Redtone’s expertise lies in telecom- Redtone’s Internet connectivity has become a social munication engineering, operation, construc- commitment to necessity and an essential service. tion and maintenance services, it also boasts providing mobile Redtone network engineers throughout extensive experience in radio-frequency and internet access the nation have been working hard to engineering, planning, designing, imple- to underserved deploy, maintain and upkeep USP sites to menting, optimising and operating fixed and communities and ensure reliable Internet access is available to mobile networks. all during these trying times, while navigat- areas, by leveraging Its telco engineering work encompasses ing movement challenges following the the installation of towers and infrastructure, on its telco movement control orders since March 2020. as well as the installation of equipment and engineering It also established and activated a compre- electronics related to public cellular service, expertise and hensive pandemic response plan earlier this under the concept of Radio Access Network know-how, is year with requisite risk mitigation protocols. sharing technology in underserved areas shown in this old The plan is still being implemented today, across the country. photo taken before ensuring the continuity of mission-critical the pandemic. processes to keep the company’s networks Expanding mobile coverage up and running. nature of the areas and unpredictable wea­ is where Redtone has proven itself time and Redtone is forging ahead with its mission Redtone provides mobile coverage to rural ther conditions have always been the main time again. to work closely with the government and areas via the Multi-Operator Radio Access challenges faced by its deployment team. The company has been recognised by the other service providers to accelerate cover- Network (Moran). The company builds and However, the team’s steadfast commit- industry as one of the largest USP service age and improve the quality of broadband operates mobile networks in these areas by ment and determination to get the job done providers and the largest third-party neutral services in the country. interconnecting all mobile service providers. have bolstered their reputation among both Moran operator in Malaysia. In addition to participating in more USP Thus, the population in these areas gets to the local communities and authorities. The use of ICT in building a knowledge-­ projects, the company is also poised to play a stay connected no matter which network Establishing infrastructure in the most based economy for underserved significant role in the roll-out of 5G, mainly they subscribed to. difficult of environments is a key step in communities will help improve their in the digital applications and solutions The sheer remoteness of locations, isolated bringing connectivity to everyone – and this economic potential and empower them with space. THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 9 Accelerating Digital Malaysia

TELEKOM Malaysia Bhd (TM), in its role of enabling Digital Malaysia, is ever ready to support the Government’s digitalisation agenda, particularly the National Digital Infrastructure Plan (Jendela) and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDigital) towards accelerating the nation into a technologically-advanced economy by 2030. TM has established itself as a leading end-to-end cloud and data Two of TM’s nine data centres are rated as Tier III that provide world- centre service provider of data res- class cloud services, AI and advanced cybersecurity. idency, locality and sovereignty in Malaysia, serving both public sec- more than 30 submarine cable sys- national digital connectivity (fixed tor and enterprise customers. It is tems spanning 300,000km is ready and mobile), as well as the digital the only home-based cloud opera- to support the global connectivity infrastructure (cloud, data centre), tor to be awarded as the cloud ser- demand of MyDigital. these strategic assets need to be As the nation’s telecommunications and digital infrastructure provider, vice provider serving the public Through strong relationships secured and protected. TM has established itself as a leading end-to-end cloud and data centre sector, together with the appointed with global telco and content part- TM’s enterprise and public sector service provider of data residency, locality and sovereignty in Malaysia. managed service providers. ners, including hyperscalers, TM arm TM ONE offers CYDEC as a Out of TM’s nine data centres, enables end-users to access and solution to help Malaysian enter- ensure efficient crisis response. industry verticals and the nation’s two are rated as Tier III that pro- enjoy a seamless connectivity prises and public sector institutions requirements to ensure seamless vide world-class cloud services, experience to support today’s build digital trust and cybersecuri- and uninterrupted connectivity for artificial intelligence (AI) and digital lifestyle. ty resilience, by managing five Future-proof talent Malaysia overall during the move- advanced cybersecurity. key areas of risk: cybersecurity, In building the digital skillsets ment control order and beyond. Driving digital connectivity Global connectivity drive compliance, privacy, ethics and and talents of the local workforce, TM is also participating in expansion, TM continues to con- social responsibility. TM’s education arm Multimedia Yayasan Hasanah’s Tabung Cerdik, tribute to the nationwide fiberisa- TM’s extensive fibre network These managed security services University is currently offering which aims to provide devices with tion effort – not only for homes nationwide is also primed to ensure access to real-time, continu- degree courses and executive edu- connectivity to enable digital learn- and business premises, but also support Digital Nasional Bhd, the ous, predictive cybersecurity – cation in AI, data analytics, robotics ing for 150,000 B40 students. mobile towers – to improve the Government’s newly formed 5G quickly and without complexity – and cybersecurity. For Phase One, TM is contribut- current 4G service quality and special purpose vehicle, in bringing for added assurance. At the same time, the TM Digital ing connectivity services and devic- next, to expedite 5G rollout. next-generation services to the TM ONE helped strengthen the Academy will equip its employees es totalling RM5.5mil. Its existing 600,000km fibre multi-segment customers served by health and security of the nation’s with future skills needed to realise In short, TM will be at the fore- network nationwide is expected its business units. Along with TM’s frontliners through the deployment its digitalisation aspirations. front of this new economy to to grow rapidly over the following ongoing nationwide fibre network of voice and Internet services, as As the nation’s telecommunica- improve the quality of life of its years, in tandem with Jendela’s expansion via Jendela, this will well as several innovative and tions and digital infrastructure pro- customers, while supporting implementation. enable fast and cost-effective roll- smart health screening and vider, TM has fully supported and nation-building programmes to Beyond Malaysian shores, TM’s out of 5G infrastructure. monitoring solutions, at various will continue to support the tele- drive the Government’s holistic vast and diverse global network of As TM continues to support critical and strategic sites to communications industry, various digital initiatives for the future. Laying groundwork for a digital tomorrow

THE foundation of a successful digital economy hinges on a comprehensive and developed dig- ital communications infrastruc- ture. Towards achieving this end, the Further to National Digital Infrastructure Plan supporting (Jendela) was launched last year in the August 2020. delivery of Further to supporting the tion, TIME continuously strength- Jendela’s delivery of Jendela’s objectives of ens and improves its fibre network objectives making Internet more accessible, infrastructure to ensure stable con- TIME con- by continuing to expand its fibre nectivity at all times. tinues to network reach and supporting It also focuses on traffic focus on mobile players in the industry with management and re-prioritisation ensuring a additional fibre capacity, TIME dot- activities to further optimise user consistently Com Bhd (TIME) continues to focus experience. good quality on ensuring a consistently good of experi- quality of experience for its sub- scribers to support their digital life- Facilitating business growth ence for its styles. While working Malaysians have subscribers had to adjust to working from to support home, businesses also had to pivot their digital Seamless WiFi connectivity quickly. Some needed to overhaul lifestyles. TIME’s network is designed for their traditional brick and mortar high bandwidth usage and as such, business model to an online one, with network functions virtualis- can cater to the rapid increase in while others had to fast-track ation-capable infrastructure. household Internet consumption in digital transformation plans. As such, it offers the ability to recent times. TIME is well-positioned to help virtualise network and edge As families conduct online businesses on their digital transfor- services over the cloud in its entire- activities from anywhere in the mation journey. ty, allowing businesses to address home, TIME introduced OmniMesh, While connectivity serves as the concerns such as cost, flexibility, an affordable solution that delivers foundation for any business scalability and security as they seamless WiFi connectivity to all transforming digitally, TIME has accelerate digital transformation. corners of the home. built an end-to-end hyperscale eco- With an end-to-end hyperscale New technology is an area that system, which comprises key com- ecosystem that extends beyond TIME continues to invest in, as ponents such as cloud and data Malaysia for regional and interna- illustrated by the deployment of its centres to help businesses move to tional reach, TIME looks forward to network cloud engine the next level. playing its part in helping the management and analysis software The future of business success nation achieve its objective, becom- in its network, which improves its lies in the ability to be agile and ing a digitally-driven, high income ability to diagnose and trouble- move quickly to adapt to market nation and a regional leader in dig- shoot WiFi connectivity issues needs. ital economy, as envisioned in the more quickly and accurately. Having anticipated this, TIME Malaysia Digital Economy TIME’s end-to-end hyperscale ecosystem is primed and ready to support In addition to product innova- constructed a secure network Blueprint, MyDigital. businesses as they take digital transformation to the next level. 10 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 Unleashing the nation’s unlimited potential DIGITAL connectivity has become National Digital Infrastructure Plan a basic need for most people at all (Jendela) to narrow the digital levels of society, much like water divide. and electricity. In fact, it has been recognised as Unlimiting with purpose a third utility in the states of Terengganu, Penang, Melaka, has always striven to Perak, Sarawak, Pahang and soon, make its services accessible and Kuala Lumpur. affordable to Malaysians, long Without such connectivity, many before the pandemic hit. will be unable to make a living, Through the years, the telco has learn, play and connect with their introduced many innovations that loved ones – even more so during are industry firsts, such as 1GB the Covid-19 pandemic. free data for prepaid plans, To ensure all Malaysians, espe- micro-financing for smartphones, cially the B40 community, have as well as affordable unlimited telecommunications service pro- access to the right tools and the data plans for both prepaid and viders focusing specifically on the connectivity necessary to thrive in postpaid customers. B40 community’s digital connectivi- today’s digital economy, the The mindset of going above and ty needs to empower them to enter Government and the Malaysian beyond to bring accessibility and the digital economy through Communications and Multimedia affordability to Malaysians has also affordable devices and data plans. Commission (MCMC) have been applied to U Mobile’s Jaringan Under the programme, over launched many initiatives, such as Prihatin efforts. and above the device and data the Malaysia Digital Economy Jaringan Prihatin is a joint effort subsidies, telcos are providing an Blueprint (MyDigital) and the between the Government and 12 additional 2GB high-speed data for one hour daily for those who have successfully signed up for a device or data plan offered.

Value that empowers U Mobile has extended the Temporary tower built in Kampung Kongsi, Kedah to provide connectivity Jaringan Prihatin programme’s to the community. device subsidy to prepaid customers, beyond the industry The telco has also sponsored accessible, which is in line with norm of device bundles only avail- connectivity and devices to B40 the Government’s MyDigital able to postpaid customers, along- students in Sabah and Penang, as aspirations for the nation. side other efforts: well as to medical frontliners in The telco has also pledged its > U Mobile has one of the biggest hospitals battling against Covid-19. commitment to continue working ranges of free phone models It has also contributed RM2mil with the Government and MCMC available for eligible customers to the GLC Disaster Response to support the rakyat – especially that qualify for the programme. Network to provide Covid-19 relief. the B40 community – with digital > The B40 community may enjoy U Moreover, U Mobile is committed connectivity, all in the interest Mobile’s unlimited data plans for to help Malaysians unleash their of helping Malaysia fast track U Mobile supported Covid-19 medical frontliners with connectivity and as little as RM15 monthly under unlimited potential by making to becoming a robust digital mobile devices. the programme. quality connectivity affordable and economy. Facilitating uninterrupted learning for B40 ONE of the biggest challenges sible to all students with a smart- facing Malaysian parents during phone. the Covid-19 pandemic is finding For Hamdan, father of a an effective way to ensure that Primary Three student, home- their children’s education can based learning was not easy for continue, even from home. working parents. That was the starting point that Both he and his wife struggled to led to YES launching the YES guide their child with his studies Prihatin Learn-from-Home plans, until they discovered the lesson coinciding with the Government’s achieve a vibrant and effective, materials available through the Jaringan Prihatin programme digitally connected teaching and Learn-from-Home initiative. rollout on May 5. learning ecosystem. Sharing his excitement to use the In March 2020, when the Covid- Learn-from-Home lesson materials, 19 pandemic first hit the country, Hamdan said the interactive videos YTL Foundation – together with Focus on B40 youths made learning much more inter- YES and learning platform There are two YES Prihatin esting and engaging for his son. FrogAsia – launched the Learn- device plans for rakyat B40: YES Watching and listening to videos from-Home initiative, designed to Prihatin Learn-from-Home as part of lessons also helped keep all Malaysian school children Families and YES Prihatin Learn- improve his son’s understanding learning through the pandemic. from-Home Individuals. on the topics, he added. Working with teachers and With just the Jaringan Prihatin Hamdan also downloaded the community leaders nationwide to subsidy, both plans give subscrib- FrogPlay application on his smart- identify those most in danger of ers a free smartphone, free data phone, so that his son can answer being left behind, YTL Foundation and free access to YTL Foundation’s quizzes during his free time. and YES delivered phones and free Learn-from-Home content, all for Summing it up, he recommend- SIM cards with 40GB of free data to one year with no deposit, contract ed Learn-from-Home to other par- these children and their families. or payments needed. Subscribers ents experiencing similar issues or The phones allowed them to stay will also receive a RM50 Shopee are looking for academic support. Working with connected with their teachers and voucher to shop for essentials. YES believes that education is a teachers and schools, as well as access YTL By choosing YES Prihatin, B40 powerful tool that can unlock community Foundation’s Learn-from-Home families will have full access to YTL many possibilities. leaders content and FrogAsia’s quizzes and Foundation’s Learn-from-Home By removing the barriers to edu- nationwide to revision exercises. content, which includes free les- cation and making online learning identify those This programme was then sons in Bahasa Malaysia, English, accessible to all, YES is giving every most in danger extended to students at over 30 Mathematics and Science from child a chance to succeed and universities and institutions of Primary 1 to Form 5 mapped to the achieve more. of being left higher learning, as well as the Malaysian syllabus, as well as The YES Prihatin initiative will behind, YTL 230,000 members of the National access to revision quizzes in all impact the lives of the B40 families Foundation and Union of the Teaching Profession. core subjects through FrogAsia’s and their children, contributing to YES delivered To date, YTL Foundation and YES FrogPlay mobile app. nation-building efforts. phones and free have distributed over 18 million All 1,272 Learn-from-Home YES Prihatin plans are available SIM cards with GB of free 4G data, 450,000 SIM lessons are available on the YTL at www.yes.my/kasiupB40 or via 40GB of free cards and 100,000 free 4G smart- Foundation website and the the MyYes App. Anyone can also data to these phones to students, families and FrogPlay App, which along with nominate a B40 family for a YES children and teachers who most need it – all more than 13,000 quizzes, make Prihatin plan at www.ytlfoundation. their families. with the aim of helping Malaysia learning and revising easily acces- org/learnfromhome. 11 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 To Malaysia, With Love

IN solidarity that furthered the GDRN will act to mobilising of efforts to contribute coordinate the support to the needy, especially frontlin- of telecommunications ers and those severely impacted industry players in assisting by Covid-19, the country’s tele- the Government and non- communications industry players governmental organisations to have continued supporting channel assistance to those affect- Malaysians. ed by the pandemic. For the ‘To Malaysia, With Love’ campaign, Celcom, Digi, Maxis, Telekom Malaysia (TM), Providing free data access TIME and U Mobile donated In addition to monetary contri- RM66mil to the GLC Disaster butions through the GDRN, many Response Network (GDRN) led by telecommunications service Yayasan Hasanah, a foundation providers have also extended 1GB under Khazanah Nasional Bhd free internet offerings for mobile and TM. data to promote uninterrupted This is the second time that e-learning and productivity these telecommunications service through the National Economic Online essential goods, groceries and other daily necessities have providers have contributed to Regeneration Plan Penjana until become vital for a large number of Malaysians. GDRN. July 31, on top of offering their Together with the Malaysian own special packages. and Multimedia Commission, in ing to sit for major examinations Coordination and Action Hub, the The Malaysian Communications collaboration with five major such as SPM and STPM, as well as telecommunications service pro- for students of IHLs. viders including Celcom, Digi, With the aim of increasing digi- Maxis, TM and U Mobile, mutual- tal accessibility, the affordable ly agreed to extend the provision prepaid package - offered by of 1GB free daily data to every Celcom, Digi, Maxis, TM and U customer until July 31. Mobile - provides students with a The provision of 1GB free data 15GB data pass for as low as on a daily basis, made available RM20 per month. since April 2020, aims to help the In providing better access and people cope with the new norms connectivity to students and B40 of digitalisation arising from the households located at the People’s Covid-19 pandemic. Housing Programme (PPR), the Government and telcos extended Increasing digital the operating hours of 54 Internet Community Centres nationwide accessibility from 9am to 9pm daily, except for Meanwhile, the YTL Foundation public holidays, in order to ena- and YES Learn-from-Home initia- ble students to do revision and tive, collaborating with learning prepare for their exams. platform FrogAsia, was also Furthermore, a total of 130 extended until Sept 30 - this time PPRs across the country were including students from institu- identified to receive free WiFi tions of higher learning (IHLs). access, installed by selected tel- The special package provides a cos. free SIM card with 40GB data, This proved invaluable in ena- free content and mobile phone bling Malaysians, especially the for students from B40 house- underprivileged B40 community, holds. to perform daily activities such as To assist PdPR home-based online learning, work remotely teaching and learning, a special from home or start online busi- Leveraging the Internet enables entrepreneurs, as well as small and medium enterprises, to expand their reach data subscription deal was also ness ventures to eke out a decent to more customers across geographical borders, in order to boost sales revenue and profit. announced for students prepar- living.

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has made it necessary for students and school-going children to continue their studies at home, but many parents have found it hard to manage their children’s lesson virtually through mobile devices. THE STAR, Monday 17 May 2021 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2021 12 Helping in times of need Assistance to access internet data services or purchase mobile devices for SINCE the beginning of the the country’s competitiveness by pandemic, the telecommunications bridging the digital gap in order to Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) recipients industry has worked closely with transform the economy based on the Government to ensure that all knowledge and innovation, as well Malaysians have access to essential as control the spread of Covid-19 to digital connectivity. spur economic recovery for the For instance, a key joint initiative welfare of rakyat and affected sec- RM1.5bil RM2bil - resulting from the collaboration tors. added benefits Government of the Finance Ministry and 12 by the telcos allocation telecommunications service providers in the country - is the Solving pressing challenges Jaringan Prihatin programme. Under the Jaringan Prihatin pro- The service providers include gramme, households with children Celcom, Digi, Maxis, Mcalls, under the age of 18 are eligible for RM3.5bil redONE, speakOUT, , U a RM300 device subsidy, whilst Mobile, , XOX Mobile, those with no children are eligible total benefits YES and Yoodo. for a RM180 subsidy to go towards This programme focuses specifi- redeeming a device or purchasing cally on addressing the B40 a data plan. community’s digital connectivity At the same time, there is also an needs. alternative option of a data rebate First announced with an initial plan for families and individuals at RM1.5bil allocation as part of an affordable price of RM15 per Budget 2021, Jaringan Prihatin was month, for a period of 12 months. further enhanced with an addition- Registration for the Jaringan al RM500mil allocation as part of Prihatin Programme is open from targeted the People and Economic Strategic May 5 until July 31, 2021. Eligible BPR recipients Empowerment Programme recipients can register with the ser- 8.4 million (Pemerkasa), after taking into con- vice providers of their choice and sideration the number of B40 fami- choose any plan offered under this lies with school-going children. programme to claim the subsidy. 12 TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDERS The Government has thus Aside from Jaringan Prihatin, Celcom redONE unifi Mobile pledged RM2bil in subsidies to 8.4 another key initiative under the Digi speakOUT XOX Mobile million eligible Bantuan Prihatin Communications and Multimedia Rakyat (BPR) recipients to have Ministry is the MyBaikHati pro- Maxis Tune Talk YES access to Internet data or for the gramme. Mcalls U Mobile Yoodo purchase of mobile devices. MyBaikHati aims to help B40 Beyond the device and data sub- households own devices as a way sidies, all 12 telecommunications to survive in the new norm by eas- JARINGAN PRIHATIN MINIMUM PACKAGE service providers are also offering ing daily activities such as study- B40 household category Mobile device aid 12-month data plan aid additional benefits worth RM1.5bil ing, working and running an - bringing the total benefits to online business. WITH children RM3.5bil for BPR recipients - with Utilising crowdsourcing to collect an additional of 2GB high-speed used devices from businesses and below 18 years old RM300 RM180 data for one hour daily for those individuals, the campaign is being who have successfully signed up carried out by six telecommunica- WITHOUT children for a device or data plan offering tion companies, including Celcom under Jaringan Prihatin. Axiata, Digi, Maxis, U Mobile, below 18 years old RM180 RM180 The programme, which comple- Telekom Malaysia and TIME. ments the MyDigital initiative, Donations of used devices from strengthens efforts to empower the Malaysians and concerned organi- REGISTRATION PERIOD: MAY 5 - JULY 31, 2021 B40 community with affordable sations will be collected and refur- *Register with your preferred telecommunications service provider devices and data plans to join the bished at a cost of up to RM500 per digital economy and tap into its device. Successfully refurbished opportunities. devices will be distributed to eligi- SUBSCRIPTION PROCESS In tandem with inclusivity ble B40 candidates throughout the efforts centred on the objectives of country based on a list provided by Check your eligibility the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030, the Inland Revenue Board, while Check your eligibility through the BPR website or telecommunications service providers Jaringan Prihatin aims to equip tal- deteriorated units will be recycled ent with digital skills as part of the safely to protect the environment. Government’s five main focus The collection, refurbishment Register as a customer areas to rebuild and propel the and distribution of these devices If you are eligible, proceed with registering nation’s economy in the post-Cov- will run for 12 months, starting in id-19 era. the Klang Valley as the pilot loca- with your preferred telecommunications To do so, it seeks to strengthen tion before expanding nationwide. service provider of choice

Make your choice Choose from the two assistance options available: Purchase a new mobile device or purchase a monthly internet data plan

Enjoy free data* Benefit from increased internet access with the additional free data on offer *Terms and conditions apply

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Mohd Yassin (left) takes a commemo- https://belanjawan2021.treasury.gov.my/manfaat/index.php/ rative photo with 11 local telecommunications industry players at the en/jaringanprihatin-en launch of the Jaringan Prihatin programme, accompanied by Finance Minister Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. The programme strengthens efforts to empower the B40 community with affordable devices and graphics data plans to join the digital economy and tap into its opportunities.