The Digital Ministry is in the midst of developing a centralised database to record the digital divide in the country.
Its minister Gobind Singh Deo (pic) said the Malaysia Digital Inclusivity Index (MyIKD), is being developed as part of efforts to strengthen the government’s planning and to monitor digital inclusivity comprehensively.
“Through MyIKD, the affordability aspect among the population will be specifically assessed, and the findings will be used to help the government design more targeted interventions and continuously monitor the digital divide,” he said during Question Time yesterday.
He was responding to a question by Kubang Pasu MP Datuk Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail on the metrics used to measure the progress of Malaysia’s Digital Economy for 2025-2030 and how the ministry ensures that digitalisation efforts do not exacerbate social inequalities, particularly in terms of affordability and access.
Gobind said the index would allow the government to gauge the efficacy of the technologies being rolled out.
Accessibility, affordability, ability, relevance, as well as readiness and adoption will be the key parameters for the index, he said.
“I think this is important as it will allow us to measure whether the measures we have rolled out are effective.
“If it is ineffective, we have to see how we can improve, and as we go along, we can get feedback from the industry on how we can make improvements and strengthen our efforts to ensure that our country can reap the benefits from technology and artificial intelligence (AI) and progress towards becoming an AI nation in 2030.”
