‘ICT devt cannot be comprehensively realised under monopolistic regulator’
KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen believes that as long as Sacofa remains the regulator of ICT infrastructure in Sarawak, there will always be conflict of interests when it comes to any allocation of state fund for ICT development.
He insists that to have a private company to be the regulator of ICT that at the same time is involved in the business in which that it regulates, is ‘cronyism and conflict of interests at the highest degree – unheard of in any developed nation.
According to Chong – also Kota Sentosa assemblyman – all telecommunication (telco) companies are not allowed to build or install any transmission equipment in the state without prior permission from Sacofa.
“Previous telco towers built by Telekom, Digi or Maxis were all made illegal overnight by the amendment of the state law and policy – unless they had the licensing from Sacofa and to obtain that licensing, they have to pay Sacofa hefty licence fees.
“Even if these telcos wished to rent the rooftop area from a private shopowner for their transmitting equipment, they would have to obtain a licence from Sacofa and pay hefty fees for it,” he said in a press statement yesterday.
In most cases, Chong – also state Democratic Action Party ( DAP) chairman – claimed that Sacofa directed these telcos to dismantle their transmission equipment and compelled them to rent the towers from Sacofa.
“If Sacofa is a wholly stateowned company, such modus operandi is at most an interference to the free market operations, stifling the competition and thus, resulting in inefficient allocation of resources,” he stressed.
The cronyism element in Sacofa, Chong emphasised, was shown when the state government – shortly after the acquisition of 50 per cent Sacofa shares by the CMS Group – announced that it (state government) would allocate RM1 billion into ICT infrastructure projects, with 5,000 telco towers to be built.
“Who decides the exact locations to build the towers? Who appoints the contractors to build the towers? Who decides how much to pay the contractors to build the towers? All these questions point to one answer – Sacofa,” he added.
Chong said if Chief Minister Datk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg truly wanted to do away with any element of cronyism in ICT development in Sarawak, he (Abang Johari) must first strip the regulatory power off Sacofa.
“Secondly, remove the monopolistic control of Sacofa over ICT infrastructure projects (in Sarawak) – open up the field to other players in the construction and telco industries.
“Also, ( have) a government agency to take charge of the overall planning and tendering process for the ICT infrastructure projects, which are to be supervised by a select committee of ADUNs (elected representatives) from both sides of the House,” he added.