.jpg "Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik speaks during a press conference at Parliament in Kuala Lumpur July 23, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa")
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 16 — Former education minister Maszlee Malik today suggested that the government come up with a better monitoring system for the implementation of the national digital infrastructure plan known as Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela).
Raising the matter in parliament today, the proposed project, which was given an allocation of RM500 million in Budget 2021 to increase internet access across 430 schools nationwide, resembles a “deja vu” for educators, said Maszlee.
He said it was basically the same as YTL Communications’ 1BestariNet virtual learning platform by the previous Barisan Nasional administration which was introduced for the exact same purpose as Jendela but which failed to materialise.
“To resolve Internet problems, the government had allocated RM500 million for the implementation of Jendela for 2021 to increase the connectivity at 430 schools nationwide.
“This allocation and this programme is a sort of déja vu to many educators, a deja vu that prompted a nightmare from the failures of 1BestariNet that cost billions of ringgit, to be monopolised by one company.
“It clearly failed and this has been admitted by the majority of educators and parents.
“What are the integrated efforts taken by the government to ensure that Jendela does not repeat the failures, the leakages and the wastage of people’s money such as 1BestariNet?’’ asked Maszlee.
YTL Communications continued operating the network without charge despite the expiry of its contract in 2019.
Its chief executive officer, Wing K. Lee had said that the company did not want to disrupt the virtual learning platform for students and teachers, and did not expect the contract to be renewed without an open tender.
YTL won the 1BestariNet contract in 2011 to provide internet services and a virtual learning platform to 10,000 schools in the country over a period of 15 years.
