Budget 2021 - At least RM9.4 billion will be allocated to support Malaysia's digital strategy

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Last Friday, we got to learn about some Belanjawan 2021 plans particularly for the B40 groups and how the youth would get an RM50 eWallet credit for financial support. So over the weekend, we got an overall view of the budget in terms of digital and telecommunication. Here's the summary below.

As most of you already know, a total of RM1.5 billion has been allocated for the B40 group category. This Prihatin Networking Program will assist each B40 person RM180 and it can be used in the form of telecommunication credit assistance. Moreover, free Internet data of up to 1GB will be provided daily as usual for educational and news purpose.

As we move towards the digital age and knowing the importance of it no thanks to the pandemic, the government also plans to assist 430 schools across the nation by allocating RM500 million for the National Digital Access Plan (JENDELA). In order to expand the broadband services for the period 2021-2022, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will be supported up to RM7.4 billion. Internet connectivity in 25 industrial areas under the JENDELA plan amounting to RM42 million.

To continue boosting the digital economy as well as assisting the country's economic recovery process, RM100 million will be allocated to Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) for Skills Enhancement and Re-Training Program. This is to facilitate the transfer of existing workforce talent to the field of ICT, which is part of the Digitalization Transformation Scheme that will be revitalized on 31 December 2023. Another RM1 billion budget will be allocated to digitization and automation.

MDEC will also allocate RM150 million to the Incentive Shop Malaysia Online plan, which is to encourage online spending and will benefit 500 thousand local entrepreneurs including entrepreneurs of handicraft and handicraft products. Meanwhile, an allocation of RM15 million was given to the Agency for Economic Development, Arts and Culture (CENDANA) to mobilize the country's arts and culture programs. Then in an effort to digitize and expand the telecommunication network, the CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) was allocated RM27 million to deal with cybercrime.

So that's the summary of the Belanjawan 2021 in terms of technology-related. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay tuned for more trending tech news at TechNave.com.