BRIDGING THE KNOWLEDGE AND DIGITAL DIVIDES

Transcription

1 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides BRIDGING THE KNOWLEDGE AND DIGITAL DIVIDES I INTRODUCTION.0 As noted in Chapter Two, the Strategic Plan identified the closing of the knowledge and digital divides as one of the seven strategic thrusts of Malaysia s plan to develop itself into a knowledgebased economy..0 ICT, in particular, is a potentially powerful tool to empower marginalised groups. The experience in other countries however, is that the transition to the K-based economy exacerbates prevailing socio-economic inequities and creates new ones. The same will happen in Malaysia unless effective countervailing measures are taken. Reducing inequities is also an imperative of social justice, which is a fundamental tenet of the Rukunegara. Besides being morally unacceptable, serious socio-economic inequities also undermine political and social stability. Given the unique political, ethnic and geographic dimensions of equity issues in the country, widening gaps will eventually threaten public order, peace and security..0 In Malaysia the knowledge and digital divides exist not only between ethnic communities, but also between states, rural and urban areas, men and women, the educated and the illiterate, rich and poor, high and low income groups, young and old, and the able-bodied and the handicapped. The plan to close the knowledge and the digital divides must attempt to address all these dimensions as far as feasible. Malaysia s K-based economy drive must strive to enrich all and marginalise none..0 Since much of the Malaysian economy will continue to be in the production sector in the foreseeable future during the process of transition, affirmative action policies and actions (i.e. measures to assist disadvantaged groups in order to eliminate socio-economic inequities) implemented in the P-based economy will remain valid. However, a growing K-based economy will require that affirmative action efforts more relevant to a K-based economy, where knowledge is the critical wealth generating factor, will have to be introduced. Even in the P-based sector, as more knowledge is added, existing affirmative action measures will have to be adapted accordingly..0 Many of the programmes and measures identified in the previous chapters will have a direct impact upon the initiative to close the knowledge and digital divides. They in fact complement measures identified in this chapter. II A CURRENT STATUS The Knowledge and Digital Divides: The Income and Geography Dimensions.0 In all countries, including Malaysia, there is a direct correlation between income levels, and computer ownership and Internet access. The basic issue is affordability, because computers and

2 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan Internet subscription as well as usage involve relatively significant costs which the poorer income groups find unaffordable. The constant upgrading of computer hardware and software and obsolescence further adds to costs..0 Data that compares income and Internet subscription directly is not available. Table. however, shows the broad correlation between household income and Internet subscription in Malaysia, according to states. The more affluent Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Pulau TABLE. COMPARISON BETWEEN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND INTERNET SUBSCRIPTION IN MALAYSIA Mean Monthly Household Income and Incidence of Poverty by State State Mean Monthly Household Income (RM) Internet Subscribers by State 000 Total S ubscribers (%) Subscribers Per,000 Population WP Kuala Lumpur,0,0. 0. Selangor,0,.. Pulau Pinang,,.. Johor,,. 0. Negeri Sembilan,,.. 0 Sarawak,,. 0. Melaka,0,. 0. Sabah,0 0,.. Perak,,.. Kedah,,.. Terengganu,,0.. Pahang,,.. 0 Perlis,,0 0.. Kelantan,,0.. Notes: Includes Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya. Includes Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan. Source: Eighth Malaysia Plan

3 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides Pinang clearly have more internet subscribers per thousand population than all the other states. The less affluent states, namely Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu and Kedah, have the least number of Internet subscribers per thousand. The atypical states are Sarawak and Sabah, which have fewer subscribers than the norm, and Pahang, which has more. In the case of Sarawak and Sabah the poor ICT infrastructure is the most likely cause..0 Besides affordability problems, the poorer groups, located in rural and distant areas where ICT infrastructure is not well developed, also experience a further disadvantage in terms of access. In particular, computer usage and Internet access is impossible in areas without electricity and telephones. Tables.,.,.,. and. provide data regarding rural electrification and telephone penetration rates. As regards rural electrification, all rural households in Peninsular Malaysia had electricity by 000, but only per cent of households in Sabah and 0 per cent in Sarawak were served by electricity in that year. The rates are expected to improve to per cent and 0 per cent respectively by 00. TABLE. RURAL ELECTRIFICATION COVERAGE BY REGION, -00 (%) Region Peninsular Malaysia Sabah Sarawak 0 0 Malaysia Note: Rural households served as a percentage of total rural households. Source: Eighth Malaysia Plan TABLE. FIXED LINE TELEPHONE PENETRATION RATE PER 00 PERSONS Stratum Overall... 0 Urban... Rural... Urban Rural Differential... Source: Eighth Malaysia Plan

4 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan TABLE. WIRELESS TELEPHONE PENETRATION RATE PER 00 PERSONS, -00 Malaysia * Cellular... 0 Note: * Forecast. Source: Eighth Malaysia Plan TABLE. TELEPHONE PENETRATION RATE BY STATE - RESIDENTIAL State Telephone Sets per Subscriber Subscribers per 000 People Telephone Sets per 000 People Johor Kedah/Perlis Kelantan Melaka Negeri Sembilan Pahang Perak Pulau Pinang Sabah Sarawak Selangor Terengganu WP Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Sources: Social Statistics Bulletin, DOS. NITC Estimates, 000.

5 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides TABLE. TELEPHONE PENETRATION RATE BY STATE - BUSINESS State Telephone Sets Per Subscriber Subscribers per 000 People Telephone sets per 000 People Johor Kedah/Perlis Kelantan Melaka Negeri Sembilan Pahang Perak Pulau Pinang Sabah Sarawak Selangor Terengganu WP Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Sources: Social Statistics Bulletin DOS. NITC Estimates, 000

6 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan.0 The income factor, whether in terms of poverty or income gaps, also impacts on the knowledge divide. Poor and low-income groups are less able to afford tuition for their children, and tuition facilities as well as tuition quality tend to be poorer in rural areas. Low wage workers are also disadvantaged when they seek to upgrade their skills or to re-skill, and engage in lifelong learning..0 The government s continued emphasis on measures to raise incomes and redress income imbalances in the Eighth Malaysia Plan will obviously have a direct and positive effect on reducing access and affordability problems and will help close the digital and knowledge divides. Among the government s measures in the Plan period are: The consolidation and improvement of existing poverty eradication programmes under the Skim Pembangunan Kesejahteraan Rakyat. A comprehensive development plan for the Orang Asli. Modernisation and commercialisation of the agriculture sector. Measures to increase Bumiputera equity ownership and control of companies to at least 0 per cent by 00. Employment restructuring to reflect ethnic composition. Further development of the Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community.. The government is also already keenly aware of the need to close the digital divide. Programmes to this end identified in the Eighth Malaysia Plan include, among others: The Universal Service Provision Programme, based on the three basic principles of availability, accessibility and affordability. The Infodesa and Internet Desa programmes. The formulation of a comprehensive and integrated policy as well as framework for action to address the problem of the digital divide to cover four important aspects, namely ICT infrastructure plan for universal access, local content development, equitable access to affordable ICT products and services, and access to lifelong learning opportunities. The government is allocating RM,0 million to ICT-related programmes for bridging the digital divide under the Eighth Malaysia Plan. Local content development will receive another RM0 million. B The Knowledge and Digital Divides: The Ethnic Dimension. The income dimension in Malaysia is also heavily conditioned by the ethnic dimension. While poverty and low incomes cut across ethnic divides, the majority of those who are poor and have low incomes are Bumiputeras. Table. indicates that the average monthly household income for Bumiputeras in was RM, compared to RM, for Chinese households and RM,0 for Indians. As the Table also indicates, during the periods and, the gaps between the three major ethnic groups continued to gradually close, but the income divide among them has remained a significant factor influencing ICT and knowledge affordability issues. Table. provides further data regarding income gaps among the respective ethnic groups.. Great strides have been made in improving Bumiputera access to education as well as their performance. Access problems continue to be a factor however, and more importantly,

7 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides Bumiputera performance on the whole still lags behind that of the non-bumiputera even when opportunities have been equalised and educational facilities are the same. Performance in areas critical to empowerment in the K-based economy, namely mathematics, the sciences, and English, are of special concern. The knowledge divide among ethnic groups in terms of academic performance is very real. C The Knowledge and Digital Divides: The Gender Dimension. Data relating to the gender dimension is inadequate. Available information indicates that gaps are particularly evident with regard to adult illiteracy, enrolment in technology related courses, representation in the administrative and managerial sector, presence in the professional and technical workforce, and comparative income.. While women represented. per cent of Malaysia s total workforce in 000, Table. indicates that: the female adult illiteracy rate was nearly twice as high as that of the male ( per cent compared to. per cent), that female administrators and managers constitute only. per cent of the total, and that women s real GDP per capita is less than four-tenths that of men s (in PPP terms, US$,0 compared to US$,). While female enrolment in public institutions of higher learning has exceeded male enrolment ( per cent are women), Table.0 shows that in higher education, females are under-represented in technology-related courses; they comprise only one-third the total enrolment.. A significant number of educated women either do not join the workforce or leave it prematurely to take up duties as housewives. While this is not a bad thing for family development, it emphasises further the gender divide in the workforce. TABLE. MEAN MONTHLY GROSS HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY ETHNIC GROUP, AND (RM) Ethnic Group Average Annual Growth Rate (%) - Bumiputera,0,. Chinese,0,. Indians,0,0. 0 Others,,. Malaysia,00,. Urban,,0. Rural,,. Source: Eighth Malaysia Plan 00-00

8 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan TABLE. MEAN MONTHLY GROSS HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY INCOME AND ETHNIC GROUPS, AND (RM) Ethnic Groups Top 0% Middle 0% Bottom 0% Top 0% Middle 0% Bottom 0% Bumiputera,,,,0 Chinese,0,0,0,0,, Indians,00,,,0,0 Others,0,,,0 Malaysia,0,,,0 Urban,,,0,, Rural,,,, 0 Source: Eighth Malaysia Plan TABLE. THE GENDER DIVIDE Country Adult Literacy Rate (% age and above) Female Male Female Administrators and Managers (as % of total) Female Professional and Technical Workers (as % of total) GDP per capita (PPP US$) Female Male Canada Norway United States Japan Korea, Rep. Of China Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A.... N/A,0,00,,0,,0 0,,0,0,,,,, 0,,,,,,0,,,0,,, Source: UNDP Human Development Report 000.

9 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides TABLE.0 UPPER SECONDARY STUDENTS PARTICIPATION IN VOCATIONAL COURSES BY GENDER, COURSES MALE FEMALE TOTAL % FEMALE Civil Engineering,,0, 0. Commerce,0, 0. Agriculture. Domestic Science,,0 0. TOTAL,, 0,0. Sources: Technical Education Department. Ministry of Education, Malaysia.. Preliminary studies have shown that in Malaysia, females constitute only about half the number of males who are currently online. Statistics on Internet usage by gender in developed economies (Table.) also show that only the US can boast of a very minor digital divide with respect to gender. A recent study by the International Labour Organisation acknowledges that although IT has the potential to provide jobs for women and improve their lives, in Japan only per cent of Internet users are women, in Russia per cent, and in the European Union per cent.. To encourage greater female participation in the fields of study such as science, engineering, vocational and technical education, and to improve their access to ICT, the Eighth Malaysia Plan has earmarked the following programmes, among others, for implementation: Career counselling to provide information and instil greater awareness among female students and parents regarding career opportunities in the professional and technical fields. More training opportunities to acquire new and advanced skills. Formal and non-formal training in areas such as computer literacy and applications of ICT, with special emphasis given to rural women. Encouraging the development of gender-sensitive software. D. The Digital Divide: Internet Subscription, ICT Literacy, and ICT Handicapped. Ministry of Energy, Communications and Multimedia figures indicate that as of March 000, there were. million Internet subscribers, representing per cent of the population, in the country. The Ministry expects this number to increase to per cent by the year 00. These figures compare with 0 per cent in the United States, 0 per cent in Japan, and nearly per cent in South Korea, in.

10 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan TABLE. INTERNET USE BY GENDER AND COUNTRY Internet Usage by Gender (per cent) US UK France Germany Male.... Female.... Days Online per month US UK France Germany Male Female... Surfers Visiting E-Commerce Sites (per cent) US UK France Germany Male.... Female.... Source: Net Value..0 Table. is an NITC estimate of ICT benchmark figures for Malaysia compared to eleven other countries - Finland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Ireland, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Malaysia is ranked seventh overall, behind Singapore () and Korea (), and ahead of Thailand (0), Philippines () and Indonesia ().. There are no available figures on ICT literacy, but illiteracy is estimated to be high given various factors, including relatively low PC ownership (. PCs per 000 people in 000 according to the Eighth Malaysia Plan), relatively low Internet subscription, and the high percentage of primary (. per cent) and secondary (. per cent) schools without access to PC facilities (Ministry of Education, 000).. Marginalised groups in the digital age include those without formal education, the older generation, and women outside the labour force. According to an NITC study,. per cent of the population (nearly million people) have no formal education, and. per cent of the population (almost 0,000 people) are aged above years of age; a large number of women outside the labour force are marginalised in the digital world. 0

11 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides TABLE. ICT RANKING AMONG SELECTED NATIONS Source: NITC Estimates, 000. Category Rank osition P y Countr Daily Newspapers 000 Per People Radios 000 Per People Televisions 000 Per People Telephone Mainlines 000 Per People Mobile Telephones 000 Per People Personal Computers 000 Per People Internet Hosts 000 Per People Rank Total Scores HIGH Finland Kong Hong Singapore Korea Ireland 0 MEDIUM Argentina Malaysia Brazil Africa South LOW 0 Thailand Philippines Indonesia

12 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan III ISSUES AND CHALLENGES. The issues and challenges, which Malaysia confronts in its initiative to close the knowledge and digital divides, are enormous. The more important ones may be summarised as follows: The tension and occasional contradiction between the imperative for fostering rapid economic growth on the one hand and the necessity to redress inequities on the other. Some balance will have to be struck between the two objectives, and this is captured in the national development strategy of growth with equity. The government firmly believes that this is the most viable route to sustainable and healthy development. Every Malaysian matters, and no group or individual should be marginalised. The multidimensional nature of the challenge confronting Malaysia. As intimated earlier, the knowledge and digital divides in Malaysia are superimposed upon prominent ethnic, geographic, gender, income and generational cleavages in society. Affirmative action to redress inequities and enhance social justice is a moral and ethical imperative. Yet affirmative action can create much dissatisfaction, especially if perceived as improperly or unfairly administered. Great care should therefore be taken to ensure proper and fair implementation, grounded on the nation s social contract, the Federal Constitution and the Rukunegara. Since the old economy will co-exist alongside the emerging new economy in the foreseeable future, affirmative action attuned to the needs of both the old and new economies will have to be simultaneously implemented. Knowledge is the most critical wealth-creating asset in a K-based economy. Access to quality education and capacity to acquire, assimilate and productively utilise knowledge will therefore be pivotal to affirmative action in a K-based economy. Yet the intangible knowledge asset is less easily apportioned than the tangible, traditional assets of land, labour and capital. Access, affordability and content are key issues governing wider empowerment in the digital age. Measures to address them will be central to strategies and measures to close the digital divide. Tradition and culture can pose significant complications to efforts to redress inequities. They are especially prominent in the gender domain. The entire community, with the assistance of the government, must therefore make special efforts in this regard. IV POLICIES AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION Goal and Targets Eliminate the knowledge and digital divides significantly by 00, and in the process, eliminate poverty and significantly reduce income disparities. Eliminating the knowledge and digital divides should be the ultimate goal. The primary focus of the equity drive in the context of the K-based economy should be the dramatic reduction of the knowledge and digital gaps between ethnic groups, states, rural and urban areas, genders, as well as the marginalised groups comprising those without formal education, the aged and those outside the labour force.

13 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides Strategies. The following strategies to close the knowledge and digital divides have been identified:. Refine and improve existing affirmative action approaches, and adapt them, where relevant, to the environment of a knowledge-based economy.. Emphasise affirmative action measures on the provision of access to affordable infostructure, ICT infrastructure and education.. Forge a trisectoral partnership among the public, private and community interest sectors to extend infostructure and education facilities to the disadvantaged groups.. Develop local content. Measures RECOMMENDATION : Put in place a better data collection and feedback mechanism. To formulate more effective policies, the government should regularly assess the extent of the knowledge and digital divides among various groups with the help of more detailed and relevant data. The data collection methodologies of the relevant authorities should be reviewed and enhanced with this purpose in mind and the support of the private sector and community interest organisations should be solicited to enhance the acquisition of data pertinent to knowledge and digital gaps in society. RECOMMENDATION : Fully investigate the gender divide. The Ministry of Women and Family Development, in co-operation with relevant NGOs, should conduct an in-depth study to assess the extent and nature of the gender divide, identify the problems, and recommend remedial measures. The importance of harnessing the country s entire human capital resources, male and female, cannot be overstated. In a ferociously competitive K-based environment where the country must develop and fully leverage upon every human capital potential it has, it cannot afford to under-utilise half its resource base. Bridging the gender divide is also a moral and human imperative. RECOMMENDATION : Instil passion for knowledge and learning. In the K-based economy, knowledge is the key to survival and empowerment. Malaysians, in particular the poor and the marginalised, must fully appreciate this fact. If they do not acquire economically valuable knowledge (without in any way neglecting other knowledge such as

14 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan religious knowledge which is absolutely fundamental) they will be left behind. Unlike in the context of a P-based economy, where wealth derives mainly from ownership of land and capital which are more easily allocated for affirmative action, in a K-based economy context there will be little the government or any other body can do beyond ensuring that all Malaysians share equitable opportunities for acquisition of quality knowledge.. Accordingly, a concerted trisectoral campaign involving the government, the private sector and voluntary organisations should be launched to instil in the minds of Malaysians the strategic importance of learning, education and knowledge. Priority should be given to the poorer Malaysians and those who are not performing well in educational institutions. These are mainly the Bumiputeras. Not only children and students but parents as well should be targeted as they play critical roles in moulding values and habits of reading and learning. The campaign should involve initiatives such as effective motivational talks to parents and pupils, conducted by duly trained teachers and counsellors; skilfully crafted media campaigns through television and newspapers projecting stories of role models, etc; and khutbah. The campaign should be a continuous exercise. RECOMMENDATION : Harness the power of Islam.0 Islam is a powerful driving force for Muslims, especially Malays. It has the potential of becoming the most influential and effective instrument for motivating Muslims to be a harder working, learning, and achievement- and excellence-oriented community.. So far however, this potential has not been fully exploited. For this to happen, a major re-orientation of Islam s message for the betterment of Muslims, consistent with its fundamental tenets, is required. The government, with the help of the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM), and other Islamic institutions should undertake this exercise. RECOMMENDATION : Provide educational assistance for the disadvantaged and the needy. Poor and disadvantaged students should be given extra help, especially in subjects critical to empowerment in the K-based economy, namely mathematics, the sciences and English. The government should sponsor or subsidise tuition in these subjects, for these students. In this regard, the government should consider providing financial incentives to government teachers to conduct weekend tuition classes.

15 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides RECOMMENDATION : Dramatically increase the number of residential schools for the disadvantaged and the needy amongst Malaysian students. The good achievement of Bumiputeras in MRSM schools seems to indicate that an effective way of raising the educational performance of Bumiputera students is to remove them from their geocultural setting which is not conducive to hard study and place them in a controlled environment conducive to learning. This it is strongly recommended that many more residential secondary schools with good teaching facilities are built to cater to not only poor Bumiputeras in rural and urban poor areas, but also to poor students from other ethnic groups in these areas. These multiracial residential schools will also contribute to the growth of a Bangsa Malaysia. RECOMMENDATION : Enhance affordability: Reduce Internet access costs. Internet access should be made more affordable for a larger number of Malaysians through measures to lower the cost of hardware as well as measures to reduce all on-line access costs. The hardware consists of Internet-enabled access tools such as PCs, laptops, mobile phones and TV Internet access receivers. Among the measures to be considered should be continuing R&D into lower-cost PCs as a matter of high priority, competition in telephony services to spur lower costs, flat rate, bandwidth-based charges instead of per-minute charges, and specially discounted Internet access rates for students. RECOMMENDATION : Enhance access: Wire and electrify every nook and corner of Malaysia. Only Sabah and Sarawak remain to be fully electrified and this should be the next phase of development. Considering the fundamental importance of electricity not only to ICT access but also to other basic social and economic needs, the government should raise its rural electrification targets for 00 from per cent to at least 0 per cent for Sabah, and from 0 per cent to at least per cent for Sarawak. By 00, the whole of Malaysia should have electricity.. Improving access through extending telephony will also be critical for closing the digital divide, besides being enormously beneficial for connectivity and productivity. This should continue to be done in stages. Alternative modes of access to the Internet, such as through WAP technology, will provide other avenues for Malaysians to get on the Net.

16 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan RECOMMENDATION : Enhance access: Ensure all schools have PC and Internet access. At present only 0. per cent of the, primary schools and. per cent of the, secondary schools have PC facilities. Only 0. per cent of primary schools and.0 per cent of secondary schools are connected to the Internet. All schools should be provided full computer and Internet facilities by 00. RECOMMENDATION 0: Enhance access: Establish community telecentres throughout the nation. The government should increase its collaboration with the corporate and public interest sectors as well as international organisations to significantly enhance initiatives to establish community telecentres throughout the country. Priority should be accorded to depressed and computer deficient areas. Places of choice would be public access areas such as places of worship (mosques, churches and temples), libraries, shopping malls, post offices and community centres. The initiative should begin immediately, and targets determined after gauging initial support and progress. RECOMMENDATION : Enhance access: Launch Malaysian Community Computer Bank Programme. Various initiatives involving the collection of used computers for distribution to the needy are already in place. However, many are not optimally organised and they are not properly co-ordinated. Inadequate publicity and commitment has also resulted in poor response..0 The Government should lead and participate in a properly co-ordinated and managed drive called the Malaysian Community Computer Bank Programme involving the private sector and community organisations. All existing and new projects should come under the wing of this Programme and abide by its rules and guidelines. Various measures such as publicity for sponsors and acknowledgement of them should be introduced to make it attractive for companies, organisations and individuals to participate in this scheme.

17 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides RECOMMENDATION : Enhance access: Launch programmes for senior citizens and the disabled. The main impediment to seniors acquiring ICT literacy is technophobia, which affects the older generation the most. There is also less incentive and imperative for seniors to become ICTliterate when they drop out of the workforce. Programmes for seniors should therefore aim to overcome these problems. Seniors who are less inhibited by these factors but are not ICTenabled for other reasons, such as poverty or lack of infrastructure, should be reached through programmes designed for these purposes, such as community telecentres and the Malaysian Community Computer Bank Programme.. The government has several options to consider, including programmes run by the government with or without industry support, or programmes run by senior citizens organisations with sponsorship from the private sector and support from the government. ICT training programmes for seniors should aim at enhancing techno-comfort levels, and providing basic ICT literacy, enabling access to, and operation of PCs, , access to news, access to general information, and knowledge of web-sites of particular interest to seniors, such as sites on health and travel. Centres run by seniors themselves can be among the most effective and seniors-friendly.. Programmes to empower disabled groups need to be more specialised. They must be made available only to those who are handicapped by some physical or sensory disability. Training programmes, hardware, and software should be specially customised for the needs at hand. Unlike programmes for the senior citizens, which are generally aimed at providing ICT literacy only, programmes for the disabled should include vocational and other skills training. These programmes can be run either by the government or community interest organisations, with funding support from the government and industry; ICT Centres for the Disabled run by the disabled themselves would be ideal for this purpose. RECOMMENDATION : Launch E-Volunteer Corps. The government, in collaboration with industry, should launch an E-Volunteer Corps, consisting of individuals who are prepared to impart knowledge on ICT skills and Internet usage to needy communities and schools. Local elected representatives could also champion and initiate this corps. Members should include students and other young people.

18 Knowledge-Based Economy Master Plan RECOMMENDATION : Implement gender-dedicated programmes. The programmes and measures identified above will directly and indirectly help to narrow the gender divide in the transition to the knowledge-based economy. In addition, the following measures to enhance equal access and equal opportunity are recommended for implementation by the government, in association with the private and community sectors, and in particular, with women s organisations: Enhance and ensure gender-sensitive approaches in the planning, monitoring and implementation processes by 00. There should be representation by gender-dedicated institutions and individuals in these processes. Increase female enrolment in technology-related subjects by 00. Provide for gender-equity directed programmes in lifelong learning initiatives. Factor in gender-sensitive considerations in the operations of community telecentres, and their facilities, in E-Volunteer Corps, and in mobile Internet training and access services by 00. For instance, telecentres should provide female-friendly space for female clientele, and E-Volunteer Corps and mobile Internet units should be sensitive to requirements of women and girls. Encourage women s organisations to participate in ICT outreach programmes, especially in depressed and marginalised areas, by 00. Encourage women to be engaged in computer hardware and software development by 00, so that gender sensitivity is enhanced in computer development, and gender-friendly software is created. For this purpose, trisectoral initiatives should be encouraged, to train and equip women with skills in computer technology. Include programmes and content specifically targeted towards redressing gender inequities in the national K-based economy, and ICT and education publicity campaigns, such as programmes to raise awareness among women and programmes to eliminate negative stereotyping in images of women, by 00. RECOMMENDATION : Develop local content. The government should work with the private and community interest sectors to develop local content in English and local languages, especially in Bahasa Malaysia, to supplement existing programmes of the MSC. The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, and the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka should lead the government effort. The benefits of this initiative will extend beyond the equity field to the preservation and propagation of indigenous cultures, history and languages, and thereby, will assist in nation-building.

19 Bridging the Knowledge and Digital Divides. An initial Local Content Development Fund of RM0 million, covering the period 00-00, should be launched as incentive to encourage content developers to work in defined areas. Priority should be given to areas such as information and data content in local languages, especially the national language; Malaysian history and culture; Malaysian literature; news on Malaysia and news of interest to Malaysia; Islam and other religions; and entertainment such as games with a Malaysian flavour (such as characters and language). The initiative to significantly enhance dual content should be a continuing exercise. V CONCLUSION. Growth with equity has been fundamental to the development philosophy adopted by Malaysia. It should continue to be a central consideration in the development towards a K-based economy. The private and community sectors shall be called upon to play a more vigorous role, in partnership with the government, to bridge the information, knowledge and digital divides in the Malaysian society as it undertakes the journey towards becoming a K-based economy.