Minister says enhancing digital infrastructure important for growth of digital economy

KOTA BELUD, Feb 18 — The government’s recent push to have more private sector investments in fiber deployment is meant to achieve the national objective of increasing broadband speeds and lowering prices, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.

“Enhancing our digital infrastructure is important to drive the growth of the digital economy, and investment in fibre deployment by private entities such as Broadnet Network Sdn Bhd (Broadnet) using private funds is always welcomed,” he told reporters after visiting Karnival Jualan Sentuhan Rakyat, here today.

Salleh said the government supported the approach taken by Broadnet to leverage on existing fibre networks owned by parties such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad and the use of these fibre networks would be on a commercial and non-exclusive basis. 

“Broadnet is a private initiative. The company has the requisite licences under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and will use its own funds to commercially deploy fibre.

“The government hopes that this can be done as soon as possible to meet the national broadband targets by 2020,” he added.

On the sales carnival, Salleh said the programme provided an opportunity for the people around Kota Belud to obtain basic necessity goods at a cheaper price.

The programme organised by Kota Belud Barisan Nasional (BN) also demonstrated the party’s concern in helping to reduce the cost of living borne by the people especially in terms of daily necessities,

“BN Kota Belud will endeavour to hold such programmes as often as possible which may depend on the situation and we will determine that the locations vary to enable the residents staying in the interior of Kota Belud to also enjoy the programme,” he said.

About 3,000 visitors flocked to the carnival which began as early as 8am until 2pm offering various basic necessities including rice and cooking oil at cheaper prices. ― Bernama