Sunday, April 20, 2008

Lower broadband fees, urges tech association - The Star

PENANG: April 20, 2008 By LOOI SUE-CHERN

The Association of Computers and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia (Pikom) has proposed that monthly Internet broadband fees for home users be lowered to RM10 for 50 hours of usage.
Its chairman David Wong said the move would help boost the nation's broadband rate to reach 50% of Malaysian households, adding that the most subscribed broadband packages now cost from about RM50 to RM60 a month for unlimited usage.

"We have 1.37 million people in the country using broadband. This amounts to only 15.5% of total households in Malaysia.

"This figure is still low compared to the broadband penetration rate in other countries,” he said at the opening of the Pikom PC Fair at the Penang International Sports Arena here on Friday by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

He said Pikom’s proposal would be submitted to the International Trade and Industry Ministry on Monday.

Wong said a RM10 fee would make broadband Internet access very affordable to all Malaysians.
Lim said the state government supported Pikom's proposal to fix the broadband rate at RM10.
"The move will promote broadband usage and at the same time make people more ICT-savvy,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony.

In his speech earlier, Lim had said the state government was keen to work with Pikom to boost the state’s ICT industry, with the association playing a matchmaking role to pair local ICT businesses with foreign interests or invite Penang-based ICT businesses in trade missions targeting potential markets.

Earlier, Wong announced that Pikom would set up five state chapters to drive the association’s efforts in the northern, southern and east coast regions as well as Sabah and Sarawak.
“The chapters will be chaired by our representatives who will act as our liaisons with state governments.

“Our representative for Sabah has been appointed. We expect to appoint those for the other four states by August ,” he said.

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