‘S’wak to have 600 more telco towers next year’
KUCHING: Six hundred telecommunication (telco) towers are expected to be constructed throughout Sarawak by next year.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said this is because the state government is committed to upgrade and expand telecommunications infrastructure and high speed internet including in the rural areas with an allocation of RM1 billion.
“Communication infrastructure is crucial. If we don’t have it, we cannot communicate.
“By next year we will build about 600 telecommunication towers throughout Sarawak and that is why we need telecommunication providers to help the state government with this development,” he said.
Communication infrastructure is crucial. If we don’t have it, we cannot communicate.
He was speaking at the Telecommunications Infrastructure Providers Association Malaysia ( PPIT) and Sarawak Backed Companies ( SBC ) Retreat Grand Dinner 2018 at a hotel here on Tuesday night, attended by PPIT president Datuk Mohd Rehat Ahmad, Sacofa management and staff and telecommunication providers.
Abang Johari, however, added having internet facilities is not enough if Sarawak wants to transform its economy to digital economy.
Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, Chief Minister
Thus, he urged telecommunication infrastructure providers to look into the perspective of internet speed at an affordable price.
Citing the Bestari School as an example, which supposedly should have high speed internet, he said it only has an internet speed of four megabits per second ( Mbps).
“You can’t do anything with that kind of speed and before this, I have suggested to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ( MCMC) to upgrade the speed to 10 to 15 Mbps.
“We can’t just have internet but no speed because infrastructure and speed must go hand-in-hand,” he stressed.