PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) has defended its move to supply 6,000 refurbished laptops at a cost of RM6 million to Tamil schools, describing it as a good deal.
Its economy and works director, Suresh Ramasamy, said the RM499 price tag per device included the cost of upgrading, delivering and maintaining the laptops.
“Furthermore, Google and its partners have invested in making sure the teachers are trained to use the devices that will help in teaching and learning,” he told FMT.
Suresh was asked to respond to complaints by parents and a headmaster that some of the laptops had to be repaired just weeks after they were delivered to schools, while a few could not boot up. In some instances, it took a while before a device could be repaired.
A source told FMT there had been suggestions for Mitra to provide new laptops to schools in stages over the next couple of years, but that the proposals were shot down by the board of directors which went for quantity.
Suresh dismissed the claims, saying the devices had been upgraded and adhered to the requirements by the search engine giant itself.
He said the software installed would be supported by Google for the next five to eight years.
“The agreement Mitra has with the service provider not only provides a one-year warranty, but also allows for the device to be immediately replaced if there are defects,” he said.
He also claimed that Tamil schools were happy with the refurbished laptops.
The price tag proved to be a better deal than the 300,000 tablets purchased at RM1,000 each under an initiative by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, he said.
“These are inferior devices compared to laptops. Getting refurbished laptops at RM500 each, which includes delivery and maintenance, is almost impossible,” he added. - FMT
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