The number of personal computer users in Malaysia is lagging behind our more developed Asian neighbours despite its percentage rising from 9 to approximately 13 percent since 1999.

According to an official in the energy, communications and multimedia ministry, there still exists a great disparity between Malaysia and other countries in terms of computer users; Hong Kong and Singapore, for example, recorded 36 percent and 39 percent, respectively, in 1999.

"Computer usage in a given country goes together with the level of development that the country is experiencing," said Chia Kwang Chye, parliamentary secretary to the ministry.

However, according to the World Competitiveness Report, the level in China, a country considered less developed than Malaysia, is nine percent, which was the level for Malaysia a year ago.

Long haul

Percentage of computer users in 1999

Country
%
Singapore
39
Hong Kong
36
Japan
32
Taiwan
26
South Korea
18
Malaysia
9
China
9
Thailand
4
Philippines
1.95

Indonesia

1.34

Chia was answering a question by Hoo Seong Chan (Kluang-BN) on the level of computer usage in Malaysia as compared with countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.

"The percentage of users in the rural areas is still at an unsatisfactory level and maybe people still do not get enough encouragement," Hoo said.

Chia later commented that Malaysia is faring all right when compared with other Asean countries.

"The estimated number of users will be 15 per 100 users in 2001 but the ratio will rise to 30 in 2005; the world-class standard is 40 per 100.

"It can be said that the number of users is rising and we are slowly reaching that standard," said Chia, who is also MP for Bukit Bendera.

Digital divide

Meanwhile, Mohd Apandi Mohd (Jeli-PAS) asked Chia what the government had done to close the "digital divide".

"I cannot deny that there is a digital divide in Malaysia but the government is planning many projects to close this divide," Chia said.

According to him one of these projects would be the "wireless Internet loop" that could bring the Internet to approximately 800,000 people.

He added that the ministry is also planning to implement "Internet villages" where there would be computer centres set up in post offices.