69 'Connecting the unconnected' programmes implemented so far

BAGAN DATUK: Up to 69 'Connecting the Unconnected' (CTU) programmes have been implemented since the beginning of this year to benefit almost 400,000 people in the rural areas throughout the country, it was stated here today.
Rosmahyuddin Baharuddin, undersecretary of the Control and Compliance Division in the Communications and Multimedia Ministry, said various forms of aid had been channelled through the programme to facilitate effective and comprehensive access to the communications network.
"We are committed to realising the government desire to ensure that at least 95% of the people in the country have access to the Internet by 2020. Besides providing humanitarian services such as helping the less fortunate, the CTU programme also enables us to provide an improvement in terms of communications," he said to Bernama after the launch of the CTU programme at the Bagan Datuk Tourism Complex here.
The programme was launched by Perak Human Resource, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Datuk Shahrul Zaman Yahya, who is also the assemblyman for Rungkup.
Bagan Datuk hosts the sixth CTU programme implemented in Perak this year.
Rosmahyuddin said the programme was an initiative under the National Blue Ocean Strategy which incorporates the cooperation of various agencies including private sector bodies such as Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Astro and telecommunication companies.
Under the programme launched today, about 40 poor households in as many villages in four mukims in the Bagan Datuk parliamentary constituency received a TV set with an NJOI decoder from Astro and daily essential goods from TM.
Rosmahyuddin said the CTU programme had two important elements, namely digitising and humanising delivery of the communications service.
"Under the digitising approach, the government will develop infrastructure for the benefit of the people, such as telecommunications towers and Internet access while the humanising component involves the aspect of face-to-face communication," he said.
He also said that the programme would be continued until all the people enjoyed good telecommunication services for them to communicate, enhance knowledge and raise their income. — Bernama