Datuk Julaihi Narawi
KUCHING (Feb 13): The Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication would go all out in ensuring that no child in Sarawak would have to climb any tree just to get Internet connection, said minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
He said the state government launched the Sarawak Digital Strategy in 2018 as the plan to develop digital economy.
“This strategy emphasises on the development of digital infrastructure to widen the coverage and provide connectivity especially to the rural communities.
“Hence, Sarawak Linking Urban, Rural and Nation (Saluran) has been introduced to ensure that our people in the urban and rural areas can have access to the Internet.
“We hope no child has to climb any tree just to find Internet connection,” he said in his keynote address at the ministry’s festive dinner in Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on Friday night.
According to Julaihi, the ultimate objective of Saluran is to extend the reach of the 4G network across the state, including the less-viable areas.
In this respect, he called for collaborative efforts between the ministry and various implementing agencies such as the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) and the federal Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to ensure that the Saluran initiative could be achieved in the near future.
“We know that there are already many projects to build (telecommunication) towers under SMA. We need to ensure that with the completion of all the towers, we are able to provide telecommunication service to the people, especially to those in the rural areas.
“In this way, we would not hear people complaining ‘Tower ada, tapi line tidak ada’ (tower is there, but without connectivity),” he said.
Julaihi also pointed out that the ministry should proactively put in place all the necessary measures to ensure that its Telecommunication Unit, together with all the agencies involved, could function properly and effectively.
“Let us be more proactive in listening to our people. We need to be more alert on what’s happening on the ground, including (those circulating) in social media.
“Working as a team is the key success for all. The harder you work, the greater satisfaction you would have when you achieve it.
“We hope that all of us could strive together towards achieving the vision of this ministry,” he pointed out.