KUCHING, Oct 15: The government intends to ensure that at least 50 per cent of rural areas in the nation have 5G telecommunications coverage by the middle of next year, states Deputy Prime Minister Dato Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
According to national news agency Bernama, Ahmad Zahid emphasised that the government will also ensure that no less than 85 per cent of rural areas get 5G coverage by the end of 2024.
“The remaining 15 per cent could be mountainous areas and the like which are quite difficult. We know that under the leadership of Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Prime Minister), he is very progressive in terms of his ideas and vision.
“We are doing this coordination because we feel that rural folks are also entitled. We don’t want when they want to access the Internet, they have to climb up trees to get coverage. So, we should avoid this, even though it is difficult but we can,” he said, according to the news report.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said his ministry, together with the Ministry of Communications and Digital (KKD) and the Orang Asli Development Department (JAKOA), has identified Orang Asli areas for the installation of Starlink satellite devices so that these groups will also not be left behind. — DayakDaily
