Miro supports Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2022
SARAWAK should hold the rights in regulating and controlling its own spectrum and airspace, as it will provide more opportunities for the state to explore this technology and benefit from it.
However, the question is how to break Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) monopoly as it oversees the commercial spectrum allocation through various telco companies, said Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh.
He explained that MCMC is tasked to regulate and ensure use of spectrum is in accordance with the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998 and the Communications and Multimedia (Spectrum) Regulations 2000.
As such, each telco needs to pay quite a substantial amount to gain their spectrum licence from the MCMC, he said.
“We will refer to Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the recognition granted to Sarawak as it has been recognised as a region that formed Malaysia. In respect of the MA63 and the regional status, it’s timely for us to amend the laws, such as this spectrum matter that should benefit Sarawak,” he said when debating the Land Code (Amendment) Bill 2022 at the State Legislative Assembly yesterday.
“We do not ask from other states airspace to regulate this law, it is in own boundaries, thus it is our right to own it. “The passing of the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill in Dewan Rakyat last year opened the door for Sarawak to demand all rights and promises enshrined in MA63 as it is now bound in the Federal Constitution. In line with this amendment, we hope today’s amendment bill will reflect well what had been promised in Federal Constitution and MA63.”
He added that his debate was only focused on spectrum as it attracted his attention the most.
While looking up the definition for ‘spectrum’, he found hundreds of definitions, but one definition he found related well with the amendment bill, which read: ‘Spectrum relates to the radio frequencies allocated to the mobile industry and other sectors for communication over the airwaves’.
“This definition relates well with Section 37. 5(d) as what the amendment required.”
“Spectrum is a highly complex concept that is not easily understood by anyone. But if managed and regulated in a proper way, it will bring huge benefit, in terms of income, economy, social and education perspective to the state and its people,” he said in support of the bill’s amendment.
The bill was earlier tabled by Deputy Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.