MSIA IS TOPS IN SOCIAL NETWORKING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- The rapid growth of social networking in
Malaysia, which is the most popular online activity, will result in an increased
awareness for the need to build "walls" within existing networks, says Yahoo.

According to the Yahoo!-Synovate Net Index 2011 study, the walls would be
built to control information exchanges and ensure conversations remain rich and
engaging (one-to-few).

The 2011 second consecutive study on "Internet Trends, Digital Development
and Online Behaviour in Malaysia" was conducted between January-March.

The Yahoo! Net Index study is also the first internet media study of urban
internet users in selected countries across South East Asia.

The enormous appetite of Malaysians for social networking could accelerate
the emergence of "selective socialisation", such as limiting their personal
information, keep strict privacy settings and being specific as to who they
choose to connect with.

The study showcased Malaysia leading in social networking across Southeast
Asia, accounting for 90 per cent, a 29 per cent increase since 2010.

However, email (87 per cent) and instant messenger (58 per cent) usage are
also on the increase, with solid growth since last year.

Other key interest of Malaysians are online searches (89 per cent) and use
of online portals (80 per cent), which also rank among the highest.

Yahoo! Malaysia Country Ambassador, Jon-Tjin Kee, said the study also showed
that online deal aggregation and group buying holds significant potential for
rapid growth.

"User education and the comfort of paying online will dictate the rate of
growth.

"Thus, this provides a fertile environment for e-commerce to grow rapidly in
Malaysia, going forward," he said.
-- ERNAMA