The federal government's initiative to elevate the socioeconomic status of rural communities by exposing them to information and communication technology skills, irrespective of their geographical locations, constitutes a strategic move to prepare them for the digital era.
The National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI), formerly known as the Digital Economy Centre (PEDi) and initiated by the Ministry of Communications, is an important step in realising the government's aspirations.
To date, 911 such centres have been established nationwide under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE
MCMC Sabah director Ratnawaty Talib said NADI got off the ground by providing Internet services to local communities and to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas.
NADI’s role, however, has now evolved to closing the knowledge gap by empowering the people through various programmes and training sessions. These include entrepreneurship and skills enhancement programmes and advocacy-related activities.
“NADI also plays a role in ensuring that local communities have access to accurate information with regard to government initiatives,” she told Bernama.
According to Ratnawaty, these centres, beyond serving rural local communities, have also enhanced the quality of life and socioeconomic well-being of the surrounding communities as well.
“The government cares about the people and proof of this is evident in Semporna where five NADIs have been established with the aim of empowering the locals.
“One of the centres is located in Kampung Terusan Tengah on Pulau Bum Bum. Another centre in Kampung Gelam-Gelam on the same island is currently in the implementation phase and is expected to be operational by the end of this year,” she said.
(Pulau Bum Bum, located in the southeast of Sabah in the Sulu Sea, has a population of 30,000 and is the largest island in the Semporna district.)
The other four centres currently operating in Semporna are located on its mainland – namely, NADI Kampung Bubul Lama, NADI Kampung Menteritip, NADI Kampung Bugaya and NADI Kampung Tagasan Tani.
BENEFITING COMMUNITIES
The establishment of NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah in 2017 has greatly benefited the islanders.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil who visited the centre recently on May 18 said more than 3,000 people around the island were currently using its services.
He said the response has been impressive with over 2,200 community entries recorded in the training sessions conducted at NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah.
Additionally, 15 local entrepreneurs have been successfully mentored and their sales increased after participating in NADI's entrepreneurship programme.
The minister also said based on a study, it was found that residents living within two to three kilometres of the centre benefited the most from its services.
Pulau Bum Bum resident Shueb Aribahal, 34, who is among NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah users, said its services have significantly boosted his handicraft business which he has been operating with his wife since 2022. They are involved in making and selling resin crafts and woven bags.
“When we first started making the crafts, it was like a hobby for us. NADI provided us with advisory services and we learned to use technology for marketing and promoting our products. NADI also taught us how to expand our business network,” he said.
With the help of their newly-acquired tech skills, Shueb and his wife uploaded photographs of their products, among them being phone straps and photo frames made of resin, on Facebook for their friends to view.
“From there, we started to get orders for our handicrafts. That was when we decided to turn it (our hobby) into a business,” said Shueb, who also conducts Al-Quran and Fardu Ain classes.
He said they receive orders from as far as Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Kedah, and also supply their products to resorts located on islands around Semporna.
The prices of their handicrafts range from RM3 to RM25 each. Currently, they are able to earn a side income of about RM1,500 a month from the sale of the resin crafts and another RM500 to RM600 from their woven bags.
“NADI’s existence here has helped small entrepreneurs like me to market our products nationwide, thanks to the digital marketing techniques we learned at the centre,” Shueb added,
VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES
Nurimah Haja, 27, from Kampung Gelam-Gelam in Pulau Bum Bum, said she is always on the lookout for opportunities to participate in workshops or courses conducted by NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah. So far, she has participated in a mini-entrepreneurship programme and also learned to make kuih during one of the courses she attended.
“Not only do I gain knowledge from NADI’s activities, but I also apply what I learn. I’m now making and selling kuih to earn an extra income,” she said.
She said through NADI’s entrepreneurship programme, the participants learn to create flyers, business logos and even stickers to put on their product packaging. They also get guidance on how to go about registering their businesses at the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah, meanwhile, also has a telehealth kiosk to allow users to monitor their health by doing their own health screenings. It also allows users with non-critical conditions to consult doctors online, thus eliminating the need for them to travel long distances to a government clinic or hospital.
The kiosk’s digital healthcare service is offered by MEASAT Global Bhd, a provider of rural broadband services, and healthcare technology company Mudah HealthTech Sdn Bhd.
Mudah Healthtech chief business development officer M. Navinderan said medical devices are provided at the kiosk to enable people to monitor their blood pressure readings, and oxygen and blood sugar levels.
“All health information obtained is relayed to doctors via our telehealth service at NADI. Doctors, even those far away in Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur, can access their health data,” he said, adding the telehealth kiosk has been operational at NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah since March this year.
He said the kiosk has been well-received by the local residents who come there to do their own health self-checks.
“It’s quick and convenient for them, especially considering the nearest health clinic is situated far away from their village,” he said.
He said so far over 400 Pulau Bum Bum residents have done health screenings at NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah, and 42 percent of them were found to have prehypertension.
He also said NADI Kampung Terusan Tengah is the first such centre to include a telehealth kiosk.
“We hope other NADIs will also provide space for the kiosk as it will benefit the people. Early detection of diseases will enable them to seek treatment promptly,” he added.
Translated by Rema Nambiar
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