KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) and Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) today formalised a strategic partnership to deploy indoor 5G connectivity at the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQC) Complex in Johor Bahru.

DNB chief executive officer Datuk Azman Ismail said preparatory work would include discussions with counterparts in Singapore on arrangements, including roaming, to support a seamless connectivity experience for passengers travelling between the two countries.

“We need to have a conversation with our counterparts in Singapore to make sure that it’s a seamless experience for the passengers on the train as we move from Johor Bahru to Singapore and vice versa,” he told reporters after the memorandum of understanding (MoU) exchange during Transport Expo Asia (TXA) 2026 here today.

Azman and MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim exchanged the MoU at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) here, witnessed by Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din.

Azman clarified that the initiative involved 5G connectivity rather than Wi-Fi, with passengers accessing services through their respective telecommunications providers’ packages.

“We will provide connectivity. We are a wholesale company, so we provide that to telecommunications (telco). So individuals have to sign up with the telco,” he said, adding that arrangements with Singapore counterparts would form part of the preparatory work to support connectivity across the border.

Meanwhile, according to MRT statement issued in conjunction with the ceremony, the partnership will pave the way for indoor 5G coverage throughout the RTS Link ICQC complex to support digital ticketing, navigation, communications and mobile transactions.

Through its subsidiary, Malaysia Rapid Transit System Sdn Bhd (MRTS), MRT Corp is responsible for developing and owning the Malaysian infrastructure for the RTS Link, including the in-building telecommunications infrastructure at the Bukit Chagar ICQC.

MRT Corp intends to commercialise the facilities through infrastructure leasing and the rental of telecommunications space to mobile network operators as part of its strategy to generate sustainable non-fare revenue.

The partnership also establishes a framework for future indoor connectivity deployments at high-traffic locations, drawing on DNB’s nationwide 5G infrastructure and collaboration with its mobile network operator shareholders. — Bernama