KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — More than 500 residents from two villages around Inanam and Tuaran, Sabah have benefitted from the Covid-19 Vaccination Outreach Programme and satellite Internet service, ‘SurFi-bah!’.

The programme implemented at the Kampung Pinahawon Community Hall, Tuaran and SK Ruminding, Inanam, on Thursday (Aug 19), was the result of a public-private partnership between the Sabah Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (KSTI), Serba Dinamik Holdings Berhad (SDHB) along with local Internet service provider, Gemilang Sdn Bhd.

SDHB group managing director Datuk Dr Mohd Abdul Karim Abdullah said the two villages in the interior of Sabah had received the attention of SDHB and KSTI due to their difficulty in obtaining their vaccination and as well as accessing the Internet.

"Serba Dinamik will also expand the outreach programme to all parts of Sabah’s interior to enable residents to get the Covid-19 vaccine, thus making it easier for them because then there is no need to go to the vaccination centres,” he said in a statement, here, today.

Meanwhile, Mohd Abdul Karim said SurFi-bah! is the first Internet service of its kind in the two villages, and also enabled residents in the surrounding areas to enjoy satellite internet facilities.

"At the same time, SDHB is also planning to explore more remote areas in Sabah to provide Internet services via satellite,” he said.

Meanwhile, SK Ruminding senior assistant, Losius Marasim said the free Internet facility had benefitted schoolchildren whose home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) sessions were affected due to poor and limited Internet access. — Bernama