By Karen Bong
KUCHING, May 22: The recent amendment of the Sarawak Land Code will give the Sarawak government the right to regulate spectrum and wireless communication activities by public and private entities more effectively as well as to address security issues such as the possibility of spectrum pollution.
Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi emphasised that these efforts will be realised when the Sarawak Spectrum Management Plan is drafted and implemented at a later date.
“This right is important as it enables the Sarawak government to plan the development of the telecommunications sector more efficiently and comprehensively through optimal use of spectrum resources, especially in the under-utilised spectrum bands in Sarawak.
“This will also accelerate efforts to expand telecommunications coverage (such as mobile broadband to include 2G and 4G, Fixed Wireless Broadband (FWB) includes MySRBN, and WIFI Hotspot service in rural areas,” he said when delivering his winding-up speech in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.
Responding to issue of poor mobile or telcom coverage raised by 28 lawmakers in the present DUN Sitting, Julaihi explained that several improvement initiatives have been and are being implemented to address the issue.
“The government is in the process of upgrading 3G to 4G services involving more than 3,000 transmitting stations throughout Sarawak which is expected to be fully completed in the fourth quarter of 2022,” he said.
On proposals to establish a Sarawak telco raised by elected representatives from Daro (Safiee Ahmad), Lingga (Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor) and Batu Danau (Paulus Palu Gumbang), Julaihi replied: “It is the intention of this ministry to ensure that no woman, child or man should ever need to carry water from the river; no child should ever have to study by candle light; and no one should ever climb a tree in search of connectivity.” — DayakDaily
