By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 10: In a significant stride toward bridging the digital divide, some 250 residents of Kampung Sungai Aur, Kuching, can now enjoy fast 4G Internet, thanks to the newly completed telecommunications tower under Malaysia’s ambitious National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA) Phase 1 initiative.
According to a report by Sarawak Information Department (Japen), Federal Minister of Communication, Fahmi Fadzil, made a personal visit to the 76-metre-high tower today, signaling a new era of connectivity for this rural Sarawak community.
Constructed by U-Mobile, the towering structure promises coverage that extends beyond basic 2G to powerful 4G signals, with download speeds exceeding 200 Mbps.
For the residents of Kampung Sungai Aur, many of whom had limited or no access to reliable Internet, the benefits are set to be transformative, enabling them to connect, learn, and explore in ways previously unimagined.
The U-Mobile-built tower, one of 81 under JENDELA’s Phase 1 project, was completed in September and stands as a testament to the power of public-private partnerships. With 78 out of the 81 planned towers already operational, the JENDELA project is well on track to bring high-speed Internet access to even the remotest of Malaysia’s communities.
According to Fahmi, his ministry is constantly collaborating with the Sarawak government through the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication (MUT) to ensure the smooth and successful implementation of the JENDELA project, in addition to the ongoing Rural Telecommunications Tower project by Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMART), which is actively implemented by the Sarawak government.
“To date, 325 out of 600 SMART towers have been completed and are operational within approximately a year since the commercial agreement between telecommunications companies was finalised,” he was reported as saying when met by reporters after inspecting the operation of the JENDELA Phase 1 telecommunications tower at Kampung Sungai Aur.
“I hope that with the RM42 million fund provided by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) for the operation of these towers, more towers will be completed, and the public will benefit from this initiative,” he added.
Fahmi also said that by mid-2025, a pilot project involving low-Earth orbit satellites will be used for direct-to-device technology, enabling satellites to connect directly to users’ smartphones without requiring additional hardware.
“This will enable satellites to operate as if they were telecommunications towers, offering 100 per cent coverage, as hard-to-reach areas will be covered with satellite-based connectivity,” he added.
Launched in September 2020, JENDELA aims to create robust and affordable digital connectivity with quality broadband coverage and to provide Internet access across all communities nationwide.
Also present were Sarawak Deputy Minister of Utility and Telecommunication (MUT), who is also the Pantai Damai assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Rahman Junaidi; Ministry of Communications secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa; and heads of various departments and agencies under the Ministry of Communications in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
