KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said he will not entertain efforts to use news outlets to lobby for changes to Malaysia’s 5G high-speed broadband implementation.
The minister said in Parliament that he would not read a word of the articles and opinion pieces, no matter how brief or complex.
“I want to make a statement here in the Dewan Rakyat, my team and I will not entertain lobbying from statements conveyed through the media — be it local or international — we will not be affected in terms of evaluating, discussions and research.
“And if any media is listening to my speech now, stop it. No more lobbying through local or international media. Enough. Allow us some room for discussion right up to the end.
“We will not entertain, and we will not be swayed and neither will we be prejudiced based on (this) — you can present five pages, or 10 pages; I will not read even a word of it,” Fahmi told Parliament today during his winding-up speech on Budget 2023.
He was responding to DAP’s Kampar MP, Chong Zhemin, who interjected to ask if there would be any financial implications if the 5G high-speed internet implementation were to be reviewed.
Chong was referring to Chinese firm Huawei, which is among those lobbying for a role in Malaysia.
Currently, Swedish multinational telecommunications giant Ericsson holds the 10-year RM11 billion 5G high-speed broadband contract in Malaysia.
