Abstract

Achieving high level of ICT readiness is being increasingly heralded as one of the critical success factors for achieving an inclusive digital economy. The focus for ICT readiness has been on the country or economy. This paper moves away from the traditional ICT readiness indicators and focuses on ICT readiness of individual users by gauging their level of ownership and usage of ICT tools or gadgets and the satisfaction they derive fromusing ICT.

A nationwide survey was conducted among 2124 respondents base on the population ratio of the main ethnic groups in Malaysia. Data is analysed descriptively using SPPS 20.0. From the results, about two-thirds of the respondents own a laptop computer and half own a desktop computer. More than two-thirds own a smart phone that can access internet. Meanwhile more than two thirds of the respondents have an email and social media account.

The intensity of usage of internet is somehow average among the respondents with information search, email, social communication, entertainment and work related usage as the main usage. The respondents are satisfied using ICT, especially the sophistication of technological gadgets and software, design of ICT tools, quality of digital content on the Internet and speed of the Internet.

The results imply that there is an above average level of ICT readiness across the population. More needs to be done by way of awareness campaign and policies aim at
increasing the level of ICT readiness among users to facilitate the digital economy.

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