TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND MULTIMEDIA - A NECESSITY?

This article was translated from Bahasa to English. It was published in this newsletter: https://issuu.com/cfm_agm/docs/_eng_-_full_set_single_page__cfm_sh

By: MOHAMAD YUSRIZAL DATO’ HJ YUSOFF

Head Activist, Consumer Association of Kedah

As a consequence of the worldwide extensive growth that information technology goes through, today’s basic necessities are not limited to shelter, clothing and transport anymore. In the modern perspective, telecommunications and multimedia are also regarded as part of our basic necessities.

Research has shown that up to 43.5 million users, including teenagers, adults and senior citizens in the country use mobile cellular services while another 37.9 million users opted for broadband services.  Statistics in the first quarter of 2018 have also indicated that we really need communications and technology to stay connected. The unbounded technology development in the communications and multimedia field has assisted us in a lot of tasks such as placing food orders, booking transportation, paying bills, as well as online shopping.

Communications and multimedia technology as life’s basic necessity

We cannot escape from communication technology in our lives. It exists in various forms to keep up with consumers’ needs. To people in business, the sophistication of technology has enabled them to get more customers and expand their businesses even to overseas. And students can now integrate information technology in their studies, for instance by using video call application like Skype to hold a discussion, leaving behind the need for physical presence in group activities.

The booming of many social media applications like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, WeChat and Line has also given us the platform to get in touch with other people although it has somehow affected the social lives of Malaysians.

Communications and multimedia in delivering other sectors’ needs

Understanding that communications and multimedia are a necessity, a lot of authorities have engaged in the efforts to develop communications and multimedia technology so that tasks can be done more quickly, efficiently and transparently. Government agencies have introduced a lot of online platforms to ensure that customers’ needs can be met quicker. For instance, TNB has launched a self-service portal called myTNB in 2017 to ease their customers in checking their electricity usage, paying their bills and many more. With the facility provided, more consumers started using the portal to pay their bills online and in turn reducing the hassle of having to pay bills at the counter.

Banks and financial institutions also encourage their consumers to move into online and cashless payment mode by introducing E-money system. This initiative has received good response from non-bank financial institutions such as Touch ‘n Go and AEON Credit. Through this system, consumers can make online transfers, pay loans, check their account balance and complete other transactions without having to go to physical banks.

Among the banks and non-bank financial institutions that have introduced E-money system are as follows:

Bank

1.  Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad

2. AmBank (M) Berhad

3. Bank Of China (M) Berhad

4. Malayan Banking Berhad

5. CIMB Bank Berhad

6. RHB Bank Berhad

Non-Bank

1. AEON Credit Services Berhad

2. Bandar Utama City Centre Sdn Bhd

3. Celcom Multimedia (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

4. Chevron Malaysia Limited

5. Com2u Sdn Bhd

6. Touch And Go

7. Tune Money Sdn Bhd

Technology has also made a difference in the food industry by shaping the ordering and delivering system that are now eased and simplified. A lot of applications nowadays offer these services, like Food Express2u, Foodpanda, GrabFood, and HotPot Master Delivery, just to name a few. These apps meet the needs of customers who do not have the time to buy or prepare their meals. The payment system provided by the applications are also user-friendly.

Looking at the myriads of situations we are currently facing now, communications and multimedia technology has definitely become a necessity in sorting out our tasks. Our smartphones are capable of lots of things, and therefore we should use them smartly to avoid the harm of today’s tech.