Naza Communications bridges connectivity for local communities with NURI programme

By Digital News Asia June 23, 2017

Signs MoU with pioneering batch of five collaboration partners
The NURI programme is a multi-phase three-year programme

Naza Communications bridges connectivity for local communities with NURI programme

NAZA Communications Sdn Bhd, an integrated telecommunications infrastructure services provider and subsidiary of Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its pioneering group of collaboration partners.

The five partners are Malaysian app developers Car Bengkel, Ezyhaul, Living Space, My Homestay Malaysia and the Telecommunications Engineering College (TEC) - to implement and accelerate the NURI programme, rural empowerment initiative.

The NURI programme will see Naza Communications as the first towerco in Malaysia to implement such an initiative.

Driven by Naza Communications, the NURI programme is a multi-phase three-year programme which aims to empower rural communities in Malaysia by using mobile broadband as an enabler.

Naza Communications plans to achieve its objective through three criteria:

Increase the income of selected rural communities through the mobile economy;
Utilise mobile apps in assisting the transformation of rural areas to uplift their well-being;
Instil responsible Internet usage to promote lifelong learning and skills enhancement.

The NURI programme will be implemented around 200 villages in 80 locations nationwide which will be rolled out in three phases throughout a 36-month plan, with Northern and Eastern regions of Peninsula Malaysia and East Malaysia identified as suitable recipients.

“Malaysians are more connected to each other than ever before, and we aim to leverage on this connectivity to further enable and empower rural communities in Malaysia,” said Naza Communications chief operating officer Subhash Devan.

“It is for that reason Naza Communications is introducing the NURI programme to empower rural communities by bringing the knowledge and expertise that will help them to be connected to the rest of the world.

“In accordance to the 11th Malaysia Plan, Naza Communications is taking the lead in improving the lives of fellow Malaysians by rapidly executing the NURI programme – a high impact, low cost solution which is part of our National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS),” said Naza Communications chairman and CEO SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin.

“As Naza Corporation Holdings aligns itself with the government’s direction for Transformasi Nasional 2050 plan, we have identified the development of our rural communities as a crucial step towards advancing Malaysia into a developed nation 2050. Our rural communities are the heart of Malaysia, and we aim to offer them as much opportunities in the mobile economy as possible.”

The first phase of the NURI programme has already been carried out earlier this year at 10 villages:

Kedah: Kampung Kuala Merah, Kampung Pong Utara Dalam, Kampung Pinang, Bukit Jagung, Kampung Alor Bt Selingsing, Kampung Felda Gunong Bongsu, Kampung Wang Perah, Kampung Kubang Lerek, and Kampung Kejai.
Perak: Kampung Cheh Hulu

As the telecommunications arm of Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd, Naza Communications aims to become a strategic enabler of mobile broadband for the rural community, which is also a significant percentage of B40 households in Malaysia.

The MoU also details that Naza Communications will engage Telecommunications Engineering College (TEC) as its education partner, and together with Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Bhd (PSMB) and Yayasan Peneraju Bumiputera (Yayasan Peneraju) aim to implement the Graduates Enhancement Programme for Employability (GENERATE) and Peneraju Skil Iltizam programs to develop skilled technicians among school leavers and unemployed graduates in selected villages.

TEC will be a one stop centre to deliver the learning needs for the programme.