CYBERJAYA, Sept 21 — About 600,000 out of the 7.9 million users of the 3G service have changed to the broadband service, said Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

“This is a significant figure and shows that the policy adopted by the government has made a greater impact,” he said in his speech at the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Aidilfitri Open House here today.

Also present were his wife Datin Seri Masnah Rais, his two deputies, Datuk Joseph Salang and Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz, MCMC chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ramli, as well as representatives of telecommunication companies.

Rais also said the close co-operation between the MCMC, the media and the communication industry should be maintained so that the targeted broadband penetration of 50 per cent could be achieved before the end of the year.

The government had earlier targeted to reach a 50 per cent penetration rate for broadband which would raise the gross domestic product (GDP) by not less than one per cent.

Currently the high-speed broadband (HSBB) project together with Telekom Malaysia in the Klang Valley and several industrial areas is giving coverage to more than 300,000 premises.

As of June 2010, the broadband penetration rate had reached 36.1 per cent.

According to sources, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the chairman of the Cabinet committee on broadband, will announce the latest figure on broadband penetration at the end of the month.

Currently, there are about 16 million Internet users in Malaysia. — Bernama