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PETALING JAYA: Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin should be ashamed to mess with Sabahan student Veveonah Mosibin, says Sabah Wanita MCA.
Its president, Dr. Pamela Yong, said he shouldn’t have even contemplated messing with Veveonah, who is less than half his age, but that he should be the best man and acknowledge the fact that Sabah lacks internet coverage.
Dr. Yong also issued a kind of challenge to Zahidi to go to the field in Sabah and witness for himself the state of internet connectivity there.
“You should be ashamed to mess with Veveonah, a young teenager with such an innovative approach to highlighting problems to the government.
“My exam is, with or without exams, that’s secondary.
“I am more embarrassed that our expert Deputy Minister cannot see her true purpose, which is to highlight poor digital infrastructure and interconnectivity in Sabah,” Dr. Yong said in a statement on Friday (September 4).
In June, Veveonah, 18, went viral after posting a YouTube video of her spending the night in a tree to get better access to the internet so she could take her exams. She became known as the “Girl in the treetops.”
The viral video prompted the Malaysian Multimedia and Communications Commission (MCMC) to say that it will work to improve internet coverage in its area at Kampung Sapatalang in Pitas, Sabah.
However, on Thursday (September 3), Zahidi said on the Dewan Negara that Veveonah was a YouTuber who simply wanted to gain fame and claimed that she was not sitting for any exams at the time she uploaded her video.
Many Malaysians on social media, including some of their classmates, argued otherwise, saying that tests were taking place at the time.
Later on Thursday (September 3), Zahidi claimed that she had received inaccurate information about Veveonah’s exam and apologized to her, saying that she will make a correction in Dewan Negara next Monday (September 7).
Dr. Yong said that while Zahidi had subsequently apologized to Veveonah that same night, the heart of the matter remained.
“It is not up to him to punish people’s complaints no matter in what form or manner they are presented,” he said.
He added that Zahidi would have done much better if he had gone to Kampung Sapatalang and spent a few days there, or even perhaps climbing a tree to experience the problem that Veveonah highlighted.
“Turun padang (go to the ground) and then tell us all that Sabah is fine with connectivity and not only connecting with 3G speed, but 4G and LTE, while every Sabahan looks towards the launch of 5G,” he said Dr. Yong.
He said there is no denying that there are still many areas in Sabah without connectivity, and called on Malaysians to support Veveonah.
Veveonah said on Thursday night (September 3) that she was saddened and disappointed by Zahidi’s mistake.
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