EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO MAKE POS MALAYSIA A MAJOR PLAYER DESPITE INTERNET CHALLENGES

From Mohd Nasir Yusoff

LONDON, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- Efforts are underway to ensure Pos Malaysia
(Post Malaysia) remain a major player in Malaysia's postal industry despite the
fact that a growing number of people are now into electronic communication,
Information Communication and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim said.

He said Malaysia was not spared of this phenomenon as more people became
Internet-savvy.

"We expect a decline in the number of mail items sent through the postal
service as more people prefer to communicate via the worldwide web," he said
after visiting United Kingdom's postal authority, the Royal Mail, here where he
met its chief of strategic planning, John Duncan.

Describing the visit as an eye-opener, Rais said the ministry would prepare
a report to the cabinet on how to make the postal service more efficient in
terms of cost.

The report would also cover efforts to determine the actual cost of postal
services, he said. "We will see whether any increase in costs commensurate the
level of service receive by the people."

"We will also see, for instant, the position of our postmen. We will also
look into the challenge posed by the Internet and other means of communications
as well as how to rekindle the culture of writing letters," Rais, who is on a
three-day visit here, said.

The report would also touch on the short and long-term measures to ensure
Pos Malaysia continue to be the main player in the country's postal industry.

Efforts would also be made to expand the use of stamps, one of the postal
service's sources of revenue, in cultural and commercial terms.

"We should also look into new area of businesses related to the postal
service," he added.

Rais said that in the UK, there was a decline in the number of items sent
through the post -- by 7 per cent or about 3.5 billion items in 2009 compared to
2006.

The trend was expected to continue, he said, adding however that based on
the Royal Mail experience, consumers continued to use the postal service to send
packages.

Also present were Pos Malaysia Bhd Group Managing Director Syed Faisal
Albar and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Chairman Khalid
Ramli.
-- BERNAMA