KUCHING, Sept 6 — Efforts to complete the construction of 7,000 telecommunications towers across the state and installing them with telecommunications equipment are on track, state Utility and Telecommunications Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi said today.
“Our target is to build all the towers by the year 2030, but if we can complete building them by the year 2025, then it is much better,” he told reporters after launching the Batam Sarawak Internet Cable System (BaSICS) and data centre by irix, the corporate brand identity of Sarawak-based PP Telecommunication Sdn Bhd, here.
He said the 7,000 towers should be sufficient to cover the length and breadth of Sarawak.
“But we need patience from our communities because the state government is trying to make as much effort as it can to get it done,” he said, adding that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is also helping the state to achieve its goal.
Julaihi said more than 3,500 towers have been completed, while another 1,043 towers are in the process of being constructed.
He said Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC) was installing telecommunication equipment on the towers that are under construction.
He also said that he hopes all service providers will take the opportunity to use the towers so that people in rural areas may enjoy internet coverage.
He noted that the service providers are more focused on the urban areas due to profit consideration.
“They are looking at the bottom line of their investments but somehow we are encouraging them to go over and extend their service to rural areas because we have built the towers,” he said.
He said the state government has already spent RM2 billion to extend internet coverage across Sarawak.
He added MCMC has also approved RM4 billion for Sarawak for the construction of the towers and the installation of telecommunications equipment.
