Minister of Energy, Water and Communications Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said currently the broadband penetration rate in the country was less than three per cent compared with Korea which has a penetration rate of 66 per cent. “We cannot depend solely on the private sector to provide this broadband access because it is going to be too slow,” he told reporters after officiating the Information Technology Governance 2004 conference here, Tuesday.
Among the plans in store was to provide broadband services through existing facilities, such as the SchoolNet and e-government, he said.
“A proposal on using the facilities has been worked out by my Ministry. I will present it to the Cabinet as soon as possible,” he said.
Asked on the amount of fund allocated for such initiatives, he said: “I don’t know exactly but it could be a few hundred million. We also have a universal services provider funds, we will use a part of that.”
However, he said that it was not necessary for his Ministry to request for additional funds as initiatives, such as the SchoolNet as well as the e-government were under different ministries.
On another note, Dr Lim said Malaysia’s cyberlaws needed to be updated from time to time in line with the current market requirement.
“We may need to amend the law itself, if there are new aspects, which is recognised in the process of using the Information Technology. As we go forward, we don’t want to be left behind by the new developments,” he said.
He requested the private sectors to come and give the Ministry inputs, so there would be a safer and more secured atmosphere in using this vast borderless opportunity available in the information and communications technology industry.
Quelle: Daily Express, 07.07.2004
