PETALING JAYA, March 18 (Bernama) -- Internet users in Malaysia rose 365.8 percent in nine years, in line with the government target of 50 percent broadband penetration by year end, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Deputy Minister Datuk Tan Lian Hoe said.

She said strategies to upgrade broadband services and information communication technology (ICT) facilities were aimed at creating an economy based on knowledge to close the digital divide.

"Technology can create new opportunities in facing competition in a borderless world," she said at "Bicara Eksekutif: Teknologi Jalur Lebar - Ruang dan Peluang Bagi Koperasi" at Maktab Kerjasama Malaysia here today.

Tan said broadband technology made communication faster, challenging and more sophisticated and has big impact on how people interact.

She urged cooperatives to tap information technology by using sophisticated technologies to lighten their workload.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will launch the National Broadband Initiative and High Speed Broadband (HSBB) on March 24 at Dataran Merdeka.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said there are 16.9 million internet users nationwide with 33.2 percent household broadband subscription.