SEREMBAN, April 22 — The Orang Asli community has never been left out of the radar of the Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM), especially in the aspect of internet coverage to ensure that they are not left behind in modernisation.

Deputy Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said the ministry through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) actively went down to the field to find out the problems of the minorities, including making Kampung Orang Asli Jeram Kedah, near here, the first location for the Enculturation of ICT Literacy Tour programme.

“This aims to ensure that they are not left behind in modernisation and are able to compete with the mainstream society as well as feel the progress of information and communications technology (ICT). 

“So our focus will be on rural areas to ensure they have good internet access as well as improved ICT knowledge in the new norm,” he told reporters after officiating the programme for Enculturation of ICT Literacy Tour and Orang Asli Community Service here today.

Saying the programme would be expanded to other states including Sabah and Sarawak, he asked the private sector to help inculcate ICT awareness among the Orang Asli community.

As of October 2020, a total of 61 telecommunication towers have been developed and benefited more Orang Asli communities across the country.

Meanwhile, Zahidi said he would support any proposal to check social media users from using the platform to insult the royal institution and the country’s leaders as well as to strain interracial relations.