PSB to install satellite broadband at 1,000 locations in S’wak, priority for rural schools

Residents of a village in Baleh finally gets connected to the internet with PSB’s satellite broadband WiFi.

SIBU (Nov 26): Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) has aimed at installing satellite broadband WiFi facilities at 1,000 locations in the rural areas, with rural schools as priority in its initiative to provide communication and internet access to the people.

Its president, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, said they had already installed the facilities in eight schools in Baleh constituency, namely, SK Nanga Meluan, SK Sungai Paku, SK Lubok Mawang, SK Temenggong Koh, SK Lepong Gaat, SK Sungai Kain and SMK Baleh.

“In the coming weeks more will benefit from this programme, as PSB is fully committed to link-up more schools and rural areas under this programme for the immediate relief of internet and communication needs especially during these trying times, while we plan for a more permanent solution once in government,” he told a press conference here.

Wong (centre) says rural schools will be the priority in the PSB project.

Wong said he understood the people’s dire need for internet connectivity and communication after talking to local leaders and headmasters of several schools while attending an event organised by his party in Baleh in September.

“I was heartbroken when I heard of the plight and challenges the locals faced in their daily lives and one key basic necessity which has turned out to be more evidently needed during this Movement Control Order (MCO) period and severely lacking in the area is internet connectivity,” he said.

He said it was also reported recently that a teacher, Sambau Dugat, had led a group of primary and secondary students from the village at Nanga Sumpa and nearby Nanga Jambu in Lubok Antu on a jungle trek just to reach the hills where they could access the internet service for their online learning.

He said the search for internet coverage was not peculiar to the remote part of Lubok Antu.

“It is in fact a major issue in all the rural areas in Sarawak where there are no internet facilities or coverage. How appalling can that be happening in one of the ‘richest states’ in Malaysia, endowed with so much wealth and natural resources?”

After learning of the issue faced by the people, Wong said the PSB Presidential Council had met and decided to help install the satellite broadband wifi facilities in the rural areas throughout the state, with priority given to schools.

Wong said PSB was committed to providing communication and affordable internet services as they deem it a necessity in addition to water, electricity and roads to our rural communities.

“We believe in making things happen, but we cannot do it without our fellow Sarawakians.
We would like to invite every Sarawakian to join us and support us in our vision that our schools, every classroom in Sarawak must be connected to the information superhighway, with computers and good and up-to-date software, and well-trained teachers.”

He said this was to ensure that our rural communities remain connected to information and the global economy, so that no one is left behind.

“PSB will continue to do what is right for all Sarawakians, to ensure that our fellow Sarawakians can enjoy a better quality of life in online academic education as well as having access to knowledge and connectivity with the world in this age of globalisation.”

Wong recalled that Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg had announced in 2017 that the state would increase the number of telecommunication towers from 1,200 to more than 5,000 towers in the State.

“Yet today at the tail end of 2020, we have only achieved less than 300 additional towers and even with the available towers, no telcos are willing to come in to provide their services with the Chief Minister citing the reluctance among telcos to expand their internet services into Sarawak’s rural areas, which they deemed to be not profitable,” he said.

And now, he said the state government had resorted to setting up its own telco.

“One must wonder how we can spend millions and billions without proper planning and coordination, and to work without prior understanding with the bigger and more experienced telcos?

“Whatever the case, building more towers and setting up Sarawak’s own telco as envisioned by the Chief Minister will take time and we never know when they can be materialized, if ever,” he said

Wong said Sarawakians were in danger of being locked in time and forever confined in the vacuum of an agrarian economy without access to the Internet as the world progressed.

“Providing satellite broadband WiFi connectivity to the rural areas is one of our first steps, among many other initiatives, towards improving the quality of life of the people.

“We will endeavour to do more to enable people to have a better education, create more stable jobs, with improved income, better medical and healthcare, improved housing conditions, adequate supply of basic needs such as water and electricity and a more conducive living environment.

“In short, to fulfil the people’s wish for a better life is our main political mission. No one should be left behind,” said Wong.

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