Welcome Rakan Sarawak February 2003

Rangkaian Khidmat Awam Negeri Sarawak

A MONTHLY SUPPLEMENT OF RAKAN SARAWAK BULLETIN

(People, events, activities and programmes which make for a total quality-managed Sarawak Civil Service)

ISSN 1394-5726

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Contents provided by:

Some of the speakers and participants at the seminar

A 1-day seminar to enhance the public awareness and understanding of the cause and effects of radiation was held in Miri recently by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

Entitled “Radio Frequency Radiation and Public Health in Sarawak”, the seminar aimed to educate the public on the issues of radiation and its hazards to public health and hoped to allay fear and dispel common myths on radiation. It also aimed to inform the public on efforts made by the Commission to standardize the development of telecommunication infrastructure in the country.

The Malaysian Communi-cations and Multimedia Commission is a special organization set up by the government to create conditions that nurtures the development of a world class communications and multimedia industry within an effective converged regulatory framework. One of its main objectives is to fulfil the 10 National Policy Objectives for communications and multimedia enunciated in the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998. The policy objectives include creating a global hub, building a civil society, nurturing local content and culture, ensuring long-term benefits for end-users, nurturing user confidence, promoting access and equity, creating a robust applications environment, facilitating efficient allocation of resources, developing industry capabilities and finally, to promote secure and safe networking.

In order to meet these grand objectives, there are tough challenges to face and overcome. We need to upgrade the network capabilities, improve service quality and choices of services, build capacity, manage resources effectively and last but not least, to regulate effectively including strengthening market supervision and enforcement activities.

Four presenters were invited to present their papers on the issue. Among the topics explored were the effects of radiation from mobile telephone base by an expert from the Malaysia Institute of Nuclear Technology, the meaning of non-ionizing radiation and its effects on public health by a speaker from the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, the rationalization effort of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and an interesting talk on the certification work of telecommunication equipment by a speaker from SIRIM-QAS International Sdn Bhd.

The seminar was officiated by the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Commu-nications, YB Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh. About 200 participants from both the public and private sectors attended the seminar.