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2010 opened its doors to a new era in the world of communications and multimedia in Malaysia with the launch
of the National Broadband Initiative (NBI) by the Prime Minister and the continuous effort towards bringing
broadband to the entire nation. The launch of NBI has enabled the industry to focus on improving high speed
broadband services and stimulate demand and benefit to the people in need of ICT towards becoming a developed
nation.
Economic changes could mutilply several times if broadband infrastructures are applied and implemented in business
matter or our daily lives. In this context, the digital lifestyle initiative will introduce applications and content to increase
productivity and map our way towards realising an advanced and competitive Malaysian community. I am pleased to note
that the Malaysian Communications And Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has fulfilled its promise to increase broadband
penetration to 50% at the end of 2010, and even surpassed the target with a penetration of 55.6%.
This is further supported by the extension of cellular telephone population coverage being pushed to almost ubiquity
with over 95% population and subscriptions attaining 119.2% per 100 population. I can say that Malaysians are now truly
connected! This achievement is meant to widen access of broadband services to the whole nation.
The household broadband penetration rate has been steadily rising where we reached 21.1% at end 2008 and rising to
31.7% in 2009. To reach and surpass this 50% target in 2010 is a major step forward as it creates the momentum to
accelerate or propel us to reach higher levels of broadband penetration.
This impressive achievement is attributed largely to the close working arrangements and support of the industry in the all
round push to reach this national goal. I am of course very happy and privileged to be in this position to see through this
major challenge and milestone in the nation’s progress towards connecting more people and making it relevant in their lives.
Acceleration occurs when monitoring and efforts towards economic growth are harnessed to move the industry forward
and the determination to achieve the status of a developed nation by the year 2020. I believe in the strategy of putting
broadband ICT in everyone’s hand and once our people have and know how to use it, things will not be the same anymore;
like what they say “everything else will be history”.
Chairman’s Message
Fulfilling our Promise on Broadband