58 community broadband centres for Sarawak by end-2010

Malaysia’s Ministry of Energy, Communications and Multimedia has revealed it aims to have around 58 community broadband centres up and running in Sarawak by the end of 2010, Bernama reports. The ministry’s plans are part of its attempts to bridge the digital divide, particularly in rural regions, and 33 of the centres are expected to be in operation before end-2009. The project, which will be carried out in partnership with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, is expected to cost approximately MYR420 million (USD118 million), and the funding has been provided by the country’s Universal Service Provision (USP) programme. Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, also revealed that since its inception in 2001 the states of Sarawak and Sabah have benefited most from the USP fund, with more than MYR850 million spent in the two regions alone in total.