Information communication technology (ICT) has polarised the world and widened the economic gap between the rich and poor countries, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

He said while the advent of ICT has brought the world closer together, its benefits are only extended to a limited segment of the international community who can afford it.

"Studies show that ICT penetration is by far more pervasive in the developed world than in developing countries," said the deputy premier in his keynote address at a regional conference in Kuala Lumpur.

He warned that the digital divide will further aggravate the existing unequal distribution of wealth between the First and Third Worlds.

Abdullah's speech was delivered by Energy, Communications and Multimedia Minister Leo Moggie at the Regional Initiative for ICT Strategies Conference 2001, this morning.

To tackle the problem of the unequal global wealth, Abdullah said the international community should not allow the free market to address the growing gap between the haves and have-nots.

He added that to face the onslaught of the digital revolution and globalisation, it is necessary for the developing countries to build strong ICT infrastructure and give attention to the underprivileged.

National masterplan

Citing the example of Malaysia, the deputy premier said the country has taken many steps to adopt the use of computers and new technologies since late 1960s, including the launch of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) four years ago.

The MSC, regarded by many as inspired by the Silicon Valley in the United States, stretches 15km by 50km south of Kuala Lumpur.

Two prominent areas have been developed within the MSC so far. They are Putrajaya, the country's new administrative capital, and Cyberjaya, a 'smart city' with research and development facilities and the newly established Multimedia University.

Apart from that, Abdullah said the country is now in the final stage of formulating a "national knowledge-based economy masterplan" to promote the use of knowledge in all production-based industries.

The three-day conference, attended by delegates from the Caribbean, African and Asia-Pacific countries, comprises various plenary sessions and forum talks to discuss "a sustainable ICT-based development agenda at political and policy levels".