E-Bario for more Sarawak outposts

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/7/8/nation/4272153&sec=nation

Wednesday July 8, 2009

E-Bario for more Sarawak outposts

KUCHING: The successful e-Bario project in the Kelabit Highlands of northern Sarawak will be implemented in four other remote settlements in Sabah and Sarawak.

Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) deputy vice-chancellor (research and information) Prof Peter Songan said the e-Bario model would be used in Ba’kelalan and Long Lamai in Sarawak, Buayan near Penam­ pang and a yet to be identified settlement in Tawau district in Sabah.

“We have done the groundwork,” he told reporters after the opening of the sixth international conference on information technology in Asia at the Kuching Hilton yesterday.

Prof Songan said Unimas had worked with Universiti Malaysia Sabah and a non-governmental organisation for the projects in Sabah.

The four projects are funded by a RM4mil grant from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.

Prof Songan said the projects would be implemented through regular dialogues with the villagers and based on their needs. Training the villagers in ICT would also be carried out.

Prof Songan said Unimas’ e-Bario project, which connects the Kelabit Highlands to the world through an information and communication telecentre, has benefited about 5,000 villagers, including students.

The project, which was implemented in 2000, has won numerous international IT awards.

At present, the people of Bario are able to independently maintain the telecentre and related equipment.

Prof Songan said Unimas was now working to upgrade e-Bario to a pilot model broadband network site for rural communities.