Julaihi (third) speaks to a staff during his working visit. At left is Sudarnoto. – Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Feb 18): Sarawak will see about 93.6 per cent internet coverage throughout the state including rural areas by 2025, said Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Nahrawi.
He told a press conference here yesterday that this target for internet access will cover mostly populated areas in the state.
“Sarawak is vast. There are areas that have no population at all. At least by 2025, Sarawak will achieve 93.6 per cent internet coverage.
“This achievement is to include the efforts of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) who will be constructing telecommunication towers,” he said.
Julaihi, who earlier made a working visit to SDEC, said MCMC is constructing 636 towers while SDEC and Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) are constructing 600 towers by the end of this year, of which 286 have been completed so far.
“The target is to follow the MCMC’s Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela) which is a comprehensive digital infrastructure plan aimed at addressing the arising needs and demand for better quality fixed and mobile broadband coverage.
“Jendela is a five-year plan (2021-2025). It will be implemented in phases. If we cannot achieve by this year or next year, at least our real target is 2025,” he said.
On Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa’s tweet earlier yesterday instructing MCMC to liaise with the state government on the Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (SRBN), Julaihi said the joint effort between MCMC and SRBN will strengthen the internet network in rural areas.
Annuar’s tweet was in response to a viral Facebook video of a 19-year-old from Pakan who had to trek two hours up Bukit Kelingkang for better internet speed to attend his Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) interviews online.
Meanwhile, SDEC chief executive officer Sudarnoto Osman said 4G coverage in the rural areas will probably be achievable by the end of this year, while for 5G, attention will be given to urban areas first because of their larger populations.
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