Safie: Govt's internet-based programme encouraging

KUALA LUMPUR: The government's "Bridging the Digital Divide Initiative" (BDDI), which is meant to bridge the communication skills of those living in rural areas, has seen encouraging results.
This is based on the personal observation of Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (pix), who said during his visits to villages where although the Internet penetration was not at its optimal level but the local people were Internet savvy even in downloading online applications.
These applications were used for their social and entrepreneurial purposes daily, he added.
He noted this phenomenon was more apparent especially where mini Rural Transformation Centres (RTCs) were based in villages where even the elderly were using the computers at these centers.
There are plans to increase more RTCs in the future, he said at a news conference after opening a three-day seminar on "Asean Forum on ICT for Sustainable Rural Development and Knowledge Cross-Fertilisation" here.
Some 215 policy makers, academicians, diplomats and researchers from Asean and the Asean plus Three countries (South Korea, China and Japan) are attending the meeting.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Mohd Shafie stressed the BDDI was also to ensure sustainable growth both socially and economically in rural areas too.