RM33.6m to boost ICT usage: Yee
Thursday, 21 April 2005 (Source: Daily Express)

KOTA KINABALU: A total of RM33.6 million has been allocated to increase the usage of ICT in Sabah, said Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai.

"No allocation has been given directly to the Ministry to implement ICT development programmes. Instead, the State Government would channel the said allocation to the Ministry agency, the State IT Development Unit.

"The allocation will be used to coordinate training and development programmes for ICT in Sabah," he said.

He said this in reply to a question from Bugaya Assemblyman, Basalie Abdul Hamid, at the State Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

In addition, Yee said there are also other allocations intended for the same purpose that have been channelled to other government agencies like the State Public Services Department, State Computer Services Department, Forestry Department, Land and Survey Department, Public Works Department and State Library.

Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, he said his Ministry had proposed programmes and specific projects costing RM1.38 billion to reduce the digital divide in Sabah.

To a supplementary question by Sook Assemblyman, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup, who requested him to further explain the use of the allocations on ICT programmes, Yee said various ICT programmes are currently being implemented to increase the awareness on the usage of ICT.

Among the on-going programmes, he said, are e-desa and e-kampung plus other ICT programmes run by other government agencies that are involved in ICT to achieve the same objective.

For more details on the use of the RM33.6 million allocation, he said he would give a written reply to Kurup.