Commission to give out more netbooks

By SHARON LING
sharonling@thestar.com.my
Tuesday August 31, 2010

MORE netbooks will be distributed in Sarawak before the end of the year by the Malaysian Communi­ca­tions and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) under the National Broadband Initiative (NBI).

State regional director Zulkarnain Mohd Yasin said some 14,500 netbooks had already been given out in 29 areas in the first phase of distribution.

“In the first phase, we focused on areas where we have set up community broadband centres, with 500 netbooks for each area,” he told reporters after a netbook presentation ceremony at SMK Asajaya, about 70km from Kuching, yesterday.

He said a second phase of distribu­tion would be implemented as part of efforts to increase the broadband penetration rate in the country.

Valuable tool: Abdul Karim (left) presenting netbooks to students of SMK Asajaya in

Kuching while MCMC state regional director Zulkarnain Mohd Yasin (right) looks

on.

Under the NBI announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in March, a total of one million netbooks will be distributed to underprivileged students nationwide to enable them to access the Internet.

Chief political secretary to the Chief Minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who presented the netbooks to 250 students of SMK Asajaya, said the scheme was a good way to reduce the communication gap between the students and the wider world.

“The netbooks will provide a new way for students to obtain information. They will be able to learn not only in school and the library but also access the Internet for information,” he said.

Go-kart lures more enthusiasts

Story and Photo by CALVIN YEO
sarawakstar@thestar.com.my
Monday August 16, 2010

A GO-KART demonstration in conjunction with the Kuching Festival at the compound of the Kuching City South Council’s building attracted a considerable number of people.

More than 30 racers took part in the event yesterday morning.

A participant, Simon Fang said go-kart enthusiasts would normally gather at the State Stadium during weekends to race and test out their machines which cost between RM10,000 and RM20,000.

“The event today gives people an opportunity to be exposed to go-kart and what racing sports is all about,” he said.

He said the go-kart engines varied from 700cc to 1,000cc and almost all were imported from Kuala Lumpur.

Nice drive: Karim trying out one of the go karts while (from left to right), Simon, Mohd Taufik Abdul Ghani, deputy mayor, Abang Affandi Abang Anuar and Kenny Bong look on.

Chief Political Secretary to Chief Minister, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah who launched the event said go-kart was a new sport which could draw the interest of younger people.

“What we need is only a big space like a car park for this activity to be organised,” he said.