KCHING, Nov 28: Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB)’s move to promote a private commercial independent internet service provider company called Connectme to set up broadband wifi facilities in eight schools in rural Kapit is seen as violating SMA’s (Sarawak Multimedia Authority) jurisdiction.
According to political secretary to the Chief Minister Charles Nissom, they (PSB) are crossing the line, ignoring the prevailing regulations to gain political mileage and manipulating the cyber connectivity issues in primary schools.
“They take advantage of the lack of internet cyber issues and encroach into schools without proper permission from the Ministry of Education (MOE) and SMA.
“They are violating these two crucial government agencies’ regulations just to get political mileage, making it look good on the surface when actually it’s business deals,” said Charles in a press statement today.
Charles noted, ConnectmeNow is a commercial communication provider which intends to make profit.
Users, he said, mostly the primary school children would have to confine themselves to the provider of the internet plans in order to access the connectivity.
“Coverage may be limited, small and unstable. Imagine, even operating a school canteen has to get permission from the MOE. In the end, schools children will spend more money than savings,” he added.
Charles also called on the SMA and the Sarawak Education Department to intervene into this matter immediately.
“Later, when school children can’t afford to pay further, this short term political stunt may cause long term social spending ills in the family and may continuously affect the Parents-Teachers Association (PIBG) management.
“The state government via SMA is seriously tackling this connectivity issue but it has to be comprehensive, holistic and beneficial to all, not segmented by choice just to gain political mileage.
“In the long run, the school children and their parents would be burdened. PSB ought to stop this type of encroachment again because the people read and will know they are not genuine in helping,” he said. — DayakDaily
