SARAWAK INTERNET COVERAGE REACHES 90.09 PER CENT IN POPULATED AREAS - FAHMI

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Internet and communication coverage in populated areas of Sarawak has reached 90.09 per cent as of Oct 31, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said that in addition to the National Digital Network (JENDELA) initiative, the Sarawak government, through the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC), is implementing the construction of 600 new towers under the SMART 600 initiative to improve internet coverage in the state.

“We will request all telecommunication companies to deploy all resources to ensure uniform coverage across all areas within a state.

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“This will certainly take time, but this is among the efforts being made by me and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC),” he said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to a question from Datuk Willie Mongin (GPS-Puncak Borneo) regarding the latest status of the application to install Starlink services at Bengoh Dam, which involves three villages that are tourist attractions and require internet and telecommunication coverage.

Fahmi said that as of Oct 31, internet and communication coverage in the Puncak Borneo constituency stood at 87.29 per cent.

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To improve this figure, he noted that 28 new communication towers have been completed and are operational under JENDELA Phase 1, while seven more towers are expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2025.

“All 145 existing transmitter stations have been upgraded, and 6,021 out of 6,189 premises are now equipped with fibre optic access,” he said, adding that the remaining initiatives are expected to be completed in stages by the end of 2025.

Regarding Starlink services in Puncak Borneo, Fahmi said a proof of concept (POC) trial for the service is being conducted at Kampung Puak, Bau, and will run until June 2025.

-- BERNAMA