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KOTA KINABALU: More than RM2.4bil has been allocated to improve communication infrastructure in Sabah under the National Digital Network (Jendela) initiative, says Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The prime minister said that Sabah would enjoy more broadband coverage by 2022.
“A total of 419 new communication towers will be built and 1,972 existing towers will be upgraded to support 4G capabilities.
“Additionally, the fiber optic connection will be expanded to cover 251,166 facilities across the state,” he said at the Gerbang Sabah (Sabah Gateway) launch here on Thursday (September 17).
Muhyiddin said the initiative would also include training programs to guide people in the effective use of digital technology to generate income.
“Anyone can run a business from anywhere with an internet connection. In fact, they can even start a business without having their own inventory via drop shipping.
“This is the kind of potential that broadband connectivity can offer,” he said.
He added that RM13mil has also been reserved to remodel the Internet Community Centers to allow him to present new job opportunities through e-commerce.
Muhyiddin said that the capacity of the Sistem Kabel Rakyat Malaysia (SKRM) in Tg Aru will also be upgraded from 4Tbps (terrabits per second) to 7.3Tbps.
He added that Telekom Malaysia will further upgrade the system to 12.8 Tbps in the next four years.
“This will imply an additional allocation of RM100 thousand in addition to the initial investment of RM575.5 thousand made by both TM and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
“The upgrade is crucial to support the increased use of the Internet in Sabah and support Jendela’s aspirations to bridge the digital divide,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said the government and service providers will continue to cooperate to create special broadband packages for young people.
“The service providers will release the details of these packages as soon as possible.
“They will offer low-cost services and more attractive terms to help the younger generation in their studies and communication needs during the new rule,” Muhyiddin said, adding that the government was aware that the youth group was the user of more active broadband.
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