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KUCHING, Aug 20: A teacher who recently went viral on social media for purchasing a Starlink satellite broadband kit with his own money in order to provide internet access to students in rural Sarawak wants to clarify that he installed the kit in his living quarters for personal use, not at the school, as many assumed.
Muhammad Izzat Afif Hasim, 32, from Perak, who has taught for eight years at SK Long Miri in Baram, told DayakDaily when contacted today that although he purchased the Starlink kit for his own personal and family use, his students would also benefit from it as he downloads educational materials for them.
“I want to clarify that I bought it (Starlink kit) for my own use. I installed it in my living quarters. Not at school.
“I believe there is some confusion among many. My wife’s TikTok didn’t say anything about me buying it for the students.
“However, I also use Starlink to download teaching materials, and having access to the internet is now a requirement for teachers,” he said.
Muhammad Izzat, also known as Cikgu Izzat, explained: “We don’t have 4G coverage in the interior. So, with the existence of Starlink, I can get some teaching materials for my students.”
On Aug 3, his wife, who is also a teacher at SK Long Miri and goes by the username @amoimorni on TikTok, shared a video of him carrying a box containing the Starlink kit.
In another video shared on the same platform, his wife explained that Muhammad Izzat obtained the Starlink kit through his own efforts, without any external help.
When asked to comment on the kit, Muhammad Izzat said: “For me it’s the best. Feels like an Internet plan in the city, with speeds of 100 Mbps or higher and unlimited usage.
“Although the device’s starting price is quite high, I believe it is worth it. Many teachers in Baram have booked Starlink after seeing my social media post.”
He revealed that he paid RM2,400 as a one-time payment for hardware and must pay RM220 monthly as a connection fee.
Muhammad Izzat, who teaches Science at SK Long Miri, stated that with Starlink, he can easily download educational materials such as videos and worksheets to use in the classroom.
In addition, he said that Starlink is a good option for rural areas to get better Internet access.
The 32-year-old educator said that before getting the Starlink service, Internet access was limited and had a data quota, and he expressed his satisfaction with Starlink’s satellite broadband service, which provides unlimited data.
Meanwhile, when describing Starlink’s Internet connection during bad weather, he said the high-speed connection remains relatively consistent regardless of the weather conditions.
Furthermore, when asked to share a photo of the Starlink kit, Muhammad Izzat said: “Because I was too eager to unbox and install it, I forgot to take a picture of it, so it is now on my roof.”
DayakDaily also inquired about any additional challenges in the rural area where he teaches. Muhammad Izzat responded by mentioning that during bad weather, such as continuous heavy rain, the road to the school becomes slippery. Furthermore, he noted that the distance to the nearest town is quite far.
“These are the challenges I am currently facing here, and I hope they can be resolved quickly,” he added.
Starlink, which is operated by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX, says that the high-performance kit offers improved weather resistance, three times better speeds at temperatures above 35°, and better visibility, especially in areas with unavoidable obstructions.
On its website, the company said that customers can try out its service for 30 days and, if not satisfied, return the hardware for a full refund.
Customers will also have to pay an additional RM100 for shipping and handling, with delivery expected to take between one to two weeks.
Users will be expected to self-install the hardware and download an app to configure settings to connect to the Internet. — DayakDaily
