(Bernama; October 29, 2006)

KUCHING -- Sarawak wants to develop a new strategy to handle information communication technology (ICT) application to enable the vast state to have 10 per cent connectivity within 10 years.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister's Department Bolhassan Di said today the ministry would meet with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) soon to address issues related to ICT application in Sarawak.

"Due to its vastness and difficult terrain, Sarawak needs special attention and the same amount of budget and project mode applied to other states may sound good but may not be effective here to bring ICT penetration to the same level as the national average," he told reporters at his Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house in Petra Jaya, here.

At present, ICT connectivity in Sarawak is a mere two per cent compared to the national average of 10 per cent.

He was confident the ministry would be able to exchange ideas with the MCMC in terms of modifying ICT application, including broadband and dial-up telephone facilities, to suit the geographical factor of the state.

So far, the federal agencies have taken the matter seriously and were trying to resolve it following concerns voiced by the state government on certain ICT-related issues, he said.
In efforts to bridge the digital divide, he said, the state government was also bringing ICT facilities such as electronic resource centres to the rural populace to enable them to access public and private sector services through various schemes.

He said it was of no use if the government departments could make available online services, such as information on job applications and scholarships, but members of the public were not aware of them due to the lack of ICT facilities in the rural areas.

On ICT application in the state civil service, he said there was a need to have good command, usage and infrastructure in all the government departments and agencies to achieve a good delivery system.

Generally, Sarawak is ahead of other states, with ICT application now becoming one of the public sector's work mechanism, he said.

-- BERNAMA