Celcom Axiata Berhad in collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) has pledged its commitment in empowering the Tasik Chini (Pekan, Pahang) community, especially the Orang Asli, with digital connectivity and e-commerce, and preserving the environment, in an agreement signed last week.
The mobile service provider launched the Sri Gumum Cyber Cube, to provide Internet access to the locals and Orang Asli. The facility also aims to offer training, knowledge sharing, and a venue for the Orang Asli to embark on e-commerce.
The Orang Asli community can now market their products digitally via an online platform created by Celcom. Under the ‘Pribumi Mall’ catalogue, their products are now available in DesaMall, an online portal developed by Celcom on 11Street last year. The portal is dedicated to facilitate and assist rural entrepreneurs with access to the marketing virtual space.
In playing its part for the environment, Celcom will be replanting 1,000 trees within the Tasik Chini area, which will be QR coded to enable the digital recording of information on newly planted trees. This initiative is Celcom’s contribution to help Tasik Chini sustain its status as a UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserve, which was granted in 2009.
The initiatives were launched by YB Tuan Eddin Syazlee Shith, Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, in a ceremony held at UKM’s Tasik Chini Research Centre, Pahang. He also witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between Celcom and UKM, which signified Celcom’s involvement in the sustainability programme at Tasik Chini.
The event was also attended by Zuraida Jamaluddin, Chief Corporate Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad, Prof. Dr. Mohd. Ekhwan Toriman, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation Affairs, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Mohammad bin Kassim, Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Prof. Dato’ Seri Dr. Mushrifah Idris, Head of Research, Tasik Chini Research Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Mohamad Idham Nawawi, Chief Executive Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad, said that Celcom is grateful for the opportunity to extend its outreach to the community of Tasik Chini, via the collaboration with UKM, as it is a significant platform for one of its sustainability agendas.
“Celcom is proud to be the organisation that bridges the digital divide within the rural community, and opens infinite opportunities to the Orang Asli, so they can improve their livelihood and economic status.
“At the same time, we are thrilled to do our part for the environment and taking our sustainability programme a step further as we help Tasik Chini retain international recognition as a biosphere reserve,” he added.
Meanwhile, Prof Dr Mohd Ekhwan said the partnership between UKM and Celcom is a brilliant academia-private sector partnership, with the mutual aim of providing services with multiple benefits.
“This is a unique and important collaboration as it covers various fields, and can be expanded further to include research, case studies, consultation, commercialisation, and training for academics and students.
“We believe that preserving nature is an activity to be undertaken collaboratively by various sectors. UKM is confident that Celcom’s contribution will bring our sustainability initiative of Tasik Chini to greater prominence, and will benefit everyone in the long run,” he concluded.
Celcom has undertaken other initiatives that include the expansion of its 4G LTE Network within Tasik Chini area, and providing UKM’s Eco Hydrology and Climatology Laboratories with connectivity and enabling them real time data collection for water quality monitoring at the Tasik Chini Monitoring Station.
