[ Thanks to Low, Kuan
Loong for this link. ]
“Although several factors contributed to the digital gap, Dr
Mahathir said an important reason was the price of personal
computers which was directly linked to affordability.“He said the operating and application system, currently being
monopolised by several international companies, made up between 25
and 40 per cent of the cost of a computer.“‘We have to pay licensing fees to all types of operating and
application systems to these companies which raise the price of
computers. The end users will eventually have to bear the cost.’ He
commended DRB-Hicom Info Tech Sdn Bhd, which produces the national
personal computer for using an open source based on the Linux
system and not the operating and application system monopolised by
international companies…”