Annuar: 14 internet community centres in Johor to be upgraded to PEDi this year

JOHOR BAHRU: A total of 14 community internet centres (PID) in Johor will be upgraded to Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) Digital Economy Centres (PEDi) this year, said Communications and Multimedia Minister, Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

He said of the total, three PID, namely in Kampung Pagoh, Pagoh, Pulai Penarek in Ledang and Felda Linggiu in Tenggara, were being upgraded and were expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of this year.

"Currently there are 87 PEDi in operation, three are under construction and 11 are planned to be added, which will bring the total number of PEDi in Johor to 101 by the end of this year," he told reporters after launching the Southern Zone PEDi centre in Kampung Sungai Tiram, here today.

Additional PID locations in planning involve Tangkak, Bentayan, Simpang Jeram, Senggarang, Yong Peng, Mengkibol, Parit Yaani, Larkin, Stulang, Skudai and Senai.

The government aims to establish at least one PEDi in each state constituency, with each centre having its own advisory panel, comprising local community representatives, to provide appropriate recommendations or suggestions.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, was previously reported to have said that the existence of PEDi could create and empower small scale entrepreneurs towards innovative and competitive digitalisation to improve the socio-economic status of the people, especially the rural community.

-- BERNAMA