KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — The construction of new telecommunication towers for broadband and 4G services will be implemented immediately, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

He said tenders for the projects would be issued within four weeks from now.

"In my and the government’s views, the issue of connectivity and the internet is considered as a human right. We want to see all Malaysians, whether in the interior or wherever they are, they need to get this access, not only connectivity but with high quality,” he said this when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s royal address, in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said this in his response to the interjection of Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) on the slow implementation of the construction of telecommunication towers, despite already being in the planning of the National Digital Network (Jendela) initiative.

Annuar said among the locations where telecommunication towers will be built in stages were Hulu Rajang (59 towers), Julau (47), Betong (40), Beaufort (26) and Pasir Mas (two). — Bernama