Sarawak rural areas to get 200 communication towers

PAKAN (Sarawak): At least 200 telecommunication towers will be built in rural areas in Sarawak to facilitate Internet connectivity, said Deputy Information, Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang.

He said on Tuesday, July 12 contracts for their construction would be awarded soon.


"They will be done in packages depending on the kind of technology used. We have told the Malaysian Commmunication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for them to be equipped with more sophisticated facilities including the 3G network so that handphones users can benefit as well," he told a media conference.

Salang said the government was very aware of the lack of Internet connectivity in rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak.

"We also are aware that the Education Ministry has spent a lot of money for rural school computer laboratories which are very well equipped. But students cannot use them due to the absence of the link," he said.

He said the government was always looking for new technology and systems to rectify the situation.

He said under the 10th Malaysian Plan, a budget of RM500million had already been set aside for this purpose.

"This is obviously not enough. The government hopes the private providers will pump in some more," he said.

He said in Sarawak, the sheer size of the state, its often very challenging topography, thick foliage were among the problems faced by TM in bringing adequate communication facilties.

Meanwhile, he said he would leave it to the MCMC whether it would engage a Rawang-based company which could construct telecommunication towers at a faster and cheaper rate and which had sold its products overseas.

He said the company used prefabricated materials and could set up a tower wthin two weeks. - Bernama