By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Jan 16: Measat, Malaysia’s satellite-based broadband service provider, has successfully deployed nearly 2,000 CONNECTme NOW satellite broadband services in rural areas of Sarawak, connecting approximately 200,000 people or about 10 per cent of the local population, to the Internet.
Measat chief commercial officer Ganendra Selvaraj highlighted the widespread availability of CONNECTme Now, reaching 4,000 locations nationwide and providing Internet access to over 500,000 people across Malaysia.
“We are here to connect the last three per cent of Malaysia without Internet services. We all know today that Internet network is an essential need. Measat is here to bring that CONNECTme service to areas and communities that needed it the most.
Its chief operating officer Yau Chyong Lim expressed plans to expand CONNECTme services in more areas of Sarawak in aligning with the Sarawak government’s efforts to get people connected which remain one of their key aims.
“We are backing the efforts of all state governments, especially those focused on providing connectivity to the people, and Sarawak is definitely one of the key areas Measat is serving,” he said after a luncheon with Sarawak’s media organisations at a restaurant in Old Courthouse today.
The Measat delegation has also paid a courtesy visit to Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi yesterday (Jan 15) where they briefed the Ministry on Measat’s current activities, latest development and future plans in the market.
Acknowledging the challenges of reaching rural areas as most of these places are where commercial telco providers will not go into, Yau emphasised Measat’s dedication to supporting initiatives aimed at connecting these underserved communities.
“We started CONNECTme about five years ago. To serve rural community, just the travelling time would take days to reach and many times, just the logistics cost would cost more than equipment cost. Sarawakians would well understand the challenges we are all facing,” he said.
Despite the difficulties involved, he stressed Measat’s long-term commitment to Sarawak, aiming to find viable means to support the State’s connectivity initiatives.
Ganendra added that Measat is actively engaging with relevant stakeholders and regulators, including the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), to ensure compliance in every location.
“We have local partners in Sarawak that are helping us everyday, to role out of our sites and provide support in these locations, which have all been accomplished by Sarawakians,” he elaborated of the importance of local support.
As a satellite company with a 30-year history, Measat expressed its commitment to improving its services as a long-term player in the Internet service industry.
Its senior sales manager Kenneth Yong, Corporate Communications senior manager Shawna Felicia and her assistant Michelle Ng were also present. — DayakDaily
