By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUALA LUMPUR, May 14: The Covid-19 pandemic has shown how IT (information technology) literacy could be used to empower the local community’s economy, says Dato Sri Nancy Shukri.
The Malaysian Minister of Women, Family and Community Development said IT usage during the pandemic was manifested in business industry players utilising online platforms to sell their products.
“Imagine the village people; they are good at using IT at that time, so they were selling nasi lemak online,” she said when speaking at Unity Government National Convention 2023 held at WTC Kuala Lumpur here today.
She further said to empower the economy of the local community; the federal government shall provide training on skills, knowledge and leadership for youths to prepare themselves for the job and business arena.
She also said the federal government should provide micro-loans and financial and digital literacy training to every level of society.
However, the most important part was that the federal government should first provide internet infrastructural facilities in the rural areas to widen their agricultural market to the global stage.
At the same time, Nancy pointed out that there are 15.4 million (or 47.7 per cent) women out of the Malaysian population.
To involve women in economic development, she said they must be equipped with business and leadership training, create suitable and lucrative employment for women apart from increasing their number at decision-making level positions, and recognise the unpaid work at home as an occupation. — DayakDaily
