Kuala lumpur: The National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) has emerged as a model for countries keen on adopting its digital transformation strategy, as announced by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. The centre's success in empowering communities through skills development and entrepreneurship initiatives has captured international interest.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, NADI, operated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has evolved from a rural cyber caf© into a community digital development hub. The centre now offers a variety of modules benefiting local communities, including health screenings, skills training in areas such as mobile phone repair and photography, and entrepreneurship programmes aimed at enhancing the economic status of residents.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized MCMC and NADI as partners in digital transformation centres, marking a significant acknowledgment. This recognition has piqued the interest of several countries, including Timor-Leste, which has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia to implement the NADI approach. Timor-Leste, now ASEAN's 11th member, has identified the NADI model as a key area for learning from Malaysia.
Fahmi highlighted that NADI's success is partly due to the availability of high-speed internet at several centres, with some offering speeds up to 1 Gbps, facilitating effective digital transformation programmes. The AI for Community@NADI programme, recently launched, aims to expand artificial intelligence (AI) literacy at the grassroots level, focusing on practical and responsible AI usage.
The government aims to produce at least one skilled individual in prompt engineering at every NADI centre nationwide. Such proficiency will enable community members to develop applications that can aid in identifying markets and customers for local products. The programme, implemented in collaboration with Pepper Labs and Amazon Web Services (AWS), targets 5,010 participants across 167 NADI centres in 10 states, including Johor, to broaden access to AI skills.
Participants will be introduced to AI fundamentals and applications, covering prompt engineering, AI use for microbusinesses, productivity enhancement, and responsible AI practices.