KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 ― The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) is committed to ensuring high-speed internet access is available nationwide, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Its minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said it was through a project to build new telecommunication towers, upgrade existing transmitters and provide premises with fibre optics and satellite broadband.

"The commitment to succeed in this is a great national commitment, inevitably, it must be achieved in line with the concept of the ministry that connectivity is a human right,” he said.

He was replying to a question from Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Bersatu-Beaufort) on the steps taken to ensure high-speed internet access in Sabah.

Annuar said for Sabah, a total of 538 new telecommunication towers had been planned with 51 completed, 2,041 transmitting stations upgraded from the target of 3,500 stations, 81,268 out of 251,165 premises provided fibre optics while 138 locations were planned for satellite broadband.

He said in Sarawak, 823 new telecommunication towers were planned with 74 completed, 1,615 transmitting stations upgraded from the target of 3,012 stations, 47,223 out of 73,588 premises fitted with fibre optics, while 523 locations were planned for satellite broadband. ― Bernama