The National Council of Senior Citizens Organisation Malaysia, or Nascom, is making efforts to encourage more senior citizens to embrace information and communications technology. Izwan Ismail catches up with council president Datuk Lum Kin Tuck
to find out more.

Q: How important is acquiring computer skills to senior citizens?
A: In this technologically driven age, computer skills is something we can’t ignore. For senior citizens, having such skills will enable them to have more things to do after retirement. For example, they can communicate with their kids or relatives through e-mail, blogs and video conferencing. On top of that, the skills can be used to perform things like paying bills or searching for information online.

Q: In the information and communications technology (ICT) context, how do you see the level of senior citizens in using technology such as computers?
A: Malaysia has 1.6 million senior citizens, and the percentage of those who are ICT literate is very low. Usually, the elderly think it’s hard to learn the computer as they think they cannot comprehend it, when actually it is not. The problem is that senior citizens are scared to learn anything, especially technology, at this age.

Q: Nascom promotes lifelong learning. Please elaborate on this and its relation to ICT.
A: One of the targets of lifelong learning is to encourage senior citizens to have technological knowledge so they can live a better life. The idea is that once they get to learn something new, they’ll be interested in it.
At Nascom, we hold regular computer classes for senior citizens. Currently, we have 10 ICT learning centres nationwide that teach basic computer skills such as surfing the Internet and using document applications like Word and Excel. We plan to set up another four centres this year.
Currently, a centre can train about 80 people from the surrounding areas. We hope to dispel the notion that learning the computer is difficult for senior citizens.
I believe there is a need to cultivate a learning culture among the elderly to enable them to acquire new knowledge and skills to remain versatile, employable and relevant.

Q: How can the Government help make senior citizens more ICT literate?
A: We would like the Government to play a bigger role. They should encourage NGOs (non-governmental organisations) to set up more computer centres so the older folks can learn.
Sad to say that the Government has a lukewarm attitude towards computer education for senior citizens. There should be a policy to encourage old people to use computers.
We are looking at setting up computer centres at low-cost flat areas where residents are poor and can’t afford computers. These people want to learn, but have no means to buy PCs.
We hope the Government can consider giving grants to Nascom to set up computer centres in these areas. At least, these people will have the opportunity to learn how to use computers.
We are also appealing to corporate sectors to come forward to help us.