The Seri Pantai 1Malaysia Internet Centre (SP1MIC) scheduled to be launched on March 25, will be the first internet centre to be set up in an urban area under the National Broadband Initiative (NBI).

NBI is a government programme designed to make high-speed Internet accessible and affordable to the country's citizens, with a special emphasis on rural areas, children and the poor, and it combines the efforts of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Telekom Malaysia.

MCMC Head of Rural Development Uzer Tajudin said residents around Kerinchi, Pantai Dalam area here will enjoy internet access and high-speed broadband with Wi-Fi services provided by The SP1MIC.

"Other facilities include 20 sets of computers and software, facsimile services, Information and Communication Technology training programmes, human capital development programmes and other related activities which will be conducted by the SP1MIC manager," he said when interviewed in the 'Dalam Radar' programme aired by Bernama Radio24 here, Wednesday.

The SP1MIC is scheduled to be launched by Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim in Kerinchi Public Housing Project, Pantai Dalam, here.

Uzer said the community will be given training on how to use the Internet wisely as a preventive measure in accessing negative elements on the Internet.

"The facilities provided in the SP1MIC which is open to all members of the public were set up to help the low-income and less fortunate groups to enjoy surfing the Internet," he said.

The NBI has been implemented in many rural areas around the nation, Uzer said.

"The initiative will be extended to other urban areas as MCMC found in its survey that the urban areas also have groups of poor and low income people who do not have the opportunity to access the Internet," he said.

Uzer said, under the Budget 2013, MCMC will provide internet access to 100 Public Housing Projects especially in large cities selected across Malaysia.

The 1Malaysia Internet Centre locations were selected based on surveys and site visits following the guidelines set by MCMC in collaboration with the central government agencies and the state governments involved, he said.