KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 14 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will expand its internet user experience data collection initiative nationwide to identify areas requiring improvements in service quality, including locations not previously covered by existing test mapping.
MCMC chief officer of state affairs Bukhari Yahya said the Selangor Speed Test Month 2026 initiative, which ran from Sept 16 to Oct 15, had successfully identified areas with unsatisfactory internet service quality based on actual user tests.
“The findings would be analysed and used as a basis for discussions with service providers to ensure immediate remedial action was taken in the affected locations,” he said this when appearing as a guest on Radio Televisyen Malaysia’s (RTM) Selamat Pagi Malaysia programme titled ‘Bulan Speed Test Selangor 2026: Dari Data Kepada Tindakan’ on Friday.
Bukhari said tests conducted by users also helped MCMC identify discrepancies between coverage shown in computer-based analyses and actual experiences on the ground, which could be attributed to geographical factors and physical obstructions such as dense tree cover.
He said that although an area might have internet coverage, the service speed received by users might not meet the Mandatory Standard for Quality of Service (MSQoS) set by MCMC.
In this regard, public participation through the MCMC Nexus application, developed by the commission and launched last March, is crucial as it complements existing monitoring efforts carried out by MCMC officers at locations such as major economic and industrial areas.
“For example, doctors who use the internet in hospitals, teachers conducting PdPR (home-based teaching and learning) or traders, as many people no longer carry cash to make purchases or conduct business but instead use QR codes for payments,” he said.
Bukhari said the test data collected was anonymous, with MCMC only recording test results without capturing users’ personal information, adding that the public need not be concerned about using the application.
He said the initiative had the potential to be expanded nationwide, with subsequent implementation locations to be selected based on factors such as challenging terrain or states with high-impact economic areas.
He added that the data would also help MCMC assess internet coverage requirements at polling centres ahead of the next general election (GE), newly developed tourist destinations and along roads, in line with the ‘Di Mana Ada Jalan Di situ Ada Internet’ (Where There is a Road, There is internet) initiative launched by Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
Meanwhile, Selangor MCMC director Amal Abdul Aziz, who was also a guest on the programme, said the initiative recorded nearly 100,000 internet speed tests throughout its month-long implementation in the state.
He said nearly 30,000 contest entries were recorded, involving 1,746 participants, with each participant conducting an average of 17 tests during the period.
Selangor was chosen as the first location due to its large population and high number of internet users, as well as its diverse usage environments, including educational institutions, residential areas and industrial sectors.
Amal said engagement sessions with government agencies, penghulu, and village heads were also held to encourage participation among residents in villages and rural areas.
He said through the programme, MCMC successfully obtained data from nearly 1,200 new locations where internet speed tests had never been conducted before, enabling the commission to identify coverage conditions in those areas for further action in collaboration with service providers. — Bernama
