SANTUBONG, Feb 17: Telecommunication and Internet coverage is expected to reach 93.6 per cent in Sarawak’s populated areas by 2025, said Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC) office here today, he said the Sarawak government remains committed to expanding Internet services not just in cities but also in rural areas.
“The government is intensifying its digital transformation programme with some 600 towers built in phases to achieve this target. However, due to unexpected setbacks and the fact that (the land mass of) Sarawak is vast, this could not be achieved earlier.
“Currently, 286 towers have been built but they are not functional because they need to be equipped. On top of that, building these telecommunication towers takes time due to land issues, hence the target (date of completion) set for 2025 will be much more realistic,” Julaihi explained.
Prior to the press conference, he was briefed on SDEC’s role, including in the rollout in digital infrastructure projects as well as other areas including innovation and entrepreneurship, technology services and consultancy services, in line with the State’s digital economy agenda.
He also toured the Centre of Excellence (CoE) to get a closer look at SDEC’s role in research and product development as part of Sarawak’s digital economy initiatives.
CoE for digital economy is a collaborative platform for universities, industry and government to exchange ideas, share best practices, insights, and set the direction for research and development, commercialisation and innovation of frontier technologies.
Meanwhile, CoE OpenLab is a technology centre which focuses on providing access to technology and experts for research, innovation and development of new digital products and services that support Sarawak’s digital economy initiatives. — DayakDaily
