(L-R) Saiful Bahrin Abd Ghaffar, Director, Government Liaison, USP and Vendor Development of Celcom Axiata Berhad, Dato’ Mohd Arif Ab. Rahman, Secretary General Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, Dato’ Sri Shazalli Ramly, Chief Executive Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad, Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, Chairman of RISDA, Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, Deputy Minister Rural and Regional Development, and Haji Mohd. Najib A. Samad, Director General of RISDA introducing the special Xpax@KKLW package
Today, Celcom Axiata Berhad and Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the collaboration between the telco and the agency in providing a special Xpax@KKLW package beginning September.
The MoU was signed by Dato’ Sri Shazalli Ramly, Chief Executive Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad and Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, Chairman of RISDA, in the presence of the Dato’ Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Minister of Rural and Regional Development, and witnessed by Saiful Bahrin Abdul Ghaffar, Director, Government Liaison, USP, and Vendor Development of Celcom Axiata Berhad and Haji Mohd Najib A. Samad, Director General of RISDA, in Kuala Lumpur.
The deal is sealed between Celcom Axiata Berhad and RISDA, and feeling joyful are (L-R) Saiful Bahrin Abd Ghaffar, Director, Government Liaison, USP and Vendor Development of Celcom Axiata Berhad, Dato’ Sri Shazalli Ramly, Chief Executive Officer of Celcom Axiata Berhad, Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, Chairman of RISDA, Haji Mohd. Najib A. Samad, Director General of RISDA
The collaboration is in line with RISDA’s aim to modernise its community which comprises more than a half million smallholders nationwide. Through this MoU, Celcom will be the affiliate that bridges the digital divide within the community as the telco continues to extend its wide coverage and superior network to smallholders.
Speaking at the signing ceremony today, Shazalli Ramly said that the Xpax@KKLW initiative is an example of the telco’s continuous effort to fortify its network strength and coverage, especially to the underserved areas.
He said it is also an extension of the recent upgrading exercise to better support its expansion of services and bring heightened internet experience to its customers, where an investment of RM2 billion has been allocated for the network modernisation within the next five years.
As a company with a priority to serve the nation and to fulfil the Government’s aspiration for a 95% broadband penetration for its citizens, this collaboration will pave the way for the company to further extend its reach to customers regardless of their household incomes.
“The connectivity delivery will be significant for us because of the positive impact we believe it will bring to their lives. We trust that Xpax@KKLW will be the gateway to improve the knowledge and information within the RISDA community because of the infinite online opportunities that will be made available to them. This will eventually lead to an upgrade of their lifestyles and improve their economic status within the society.
“This initiative will focus highly on supporting the Government’s call for the adaptation of digitisation and stepping up towards a diversified and digitalised economy,” Shazalli Ramly concluded, adding that the digital ecosystem created may become a platform for them to venture into e-entrepreneurship as another source of income.
Further to the MoU, plans are underway to develop mobile content and applications dedicated for the RISDA community, as well as the prospect of establishing WiFi hotspots at potential RISDA areas.
These are expected to channel the much-needed information for the smallholders, such as the current trading prices for rubber and commodities. The development of such will also double up as a communications broadcast channel from the ministry and RISDA.
At the initial phase, Celcom Axiata will provide Xpax@KKLW for registered RISDA members that will enable them to enjoy unlimited calls within Celcom network. Other details on Xpax@KKLW will be announced later. The Xpax@KKLW distribution is targeted to begin in September 2016.
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