*This article is brought to you by YES

The YES Kasi Up B40 initiative provides lower income Malaysians with 40GB of free data for 60 days once activated. ― Picture from Pexels

PETALING JAYA, April 2 ― The impact of Covid-19 is forcing many Malaysians to face a new financial reality, especially those in the lower income B40 group.

With the pandemic bringing to light the many inequalities in society, internet access has become a crucial necessity for individuals and families trying to thrive in the new normal.

Just picture school-going children who require mobile data to download learning materials or gig economy workers who need to be online at all times to earn an income ― it’s easy to say we live in a connected world but many in fact, lack internet access during the pandemic.

After two movement control orders, the Malaysian economy is finally reopening, and telecommunications company YES is helping those struggling to find their feet amid these challenging times by providing free mobile data.

The telco launched its YES Kasi Up B40 initiative last week to offer 40GB of free data to every registered member of the B40 community.

B40s only need to provide their contact details on the website to have the YES SIM delivered to their homes at no cost.

The 40GB free data is valid for 60 days once it is activated on the MyYes app.

The initiative is a continuation of YES’s high-impact Learn-From-Home programme that was launched a year ago where 40GB of data was provided for free to children in government schools while free phones were given to B40 students.

"It is one year since we began our journey of giving free data to those who most need it.

"The journey started with the YTL Foundation Learn-From-Home initiative, in partnership with YES,” YTL communications managing director Datuk Yeoh Seok Hong said at the launch.

The aim of the Learn-From-Home initiative was to ensure that every school going child in Malaysia continued to learn, despite being in lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Close to 450,000 Malaysian children, many of whom are from the B40 group, have benefitted from 40GB of free data and access to educational content developed by FrogAsia on its learning platform that has ensured children kept learning throughout the pandemic.

Now, the telco is determined to extend free data to all people in the B40 group across the nation.

"With markets reopening, and the rakyat feeling the pressure of job losses, income deprivation, and a slowdown in business activities, it is important that we continue to play our part to close the digital divide.

"Data accessibility is the game changer; every Malaysian must be able to access high-speed internet to learn, work, grow a business and shop for their everyday essentials.

"It is the only way to ensure Malaysia reaches its full potential.

"This is the democratisation of data ― the essence of what YES Kasi Up is all about,” said Yeoh.

YES said it wants to continue to play its part in closing the digital divide. ―Picture courtesy of YES

Since the pandemic started disrupting lives in early 2020, YES has rolled out several initiatives to help poor Malaysians stay connected.

It partnered with Shopee Malaysia to launch YES Databack, a first of its kind programme that rewards shoppers with free data each time they shop.

Still ongoing after handing out millions in free data, shoppers receive 5GB of free data for every RM50 spent on Shopee.

Launched to make affordable data accessible to all Malaysians, YES Kasi Up Prepaid 15 is known as Malaysia’s most affordable prepaid plan while YES Kasi Up Postpaid 49 gives subscribers the first six months free on a two-year contract.

YES subscribers can also earn an extra RM50 in cash each time they refer friends or family to the telco’s services through the YES Kasi Up Refer & Earn programme.

"YES Kasi Up is all about finding new and innovative ways to enable Malaysians, especially the underserved, by equipping them with today’s most important commodity – data.

"We can only be an inclusive nation if we make data accessible and affordable to all, and that is what YES aims to do,” Yeoh said.

Visit yes.my/kasiupB40 to claim.