By Alverdtekoster Anyap & Neville Timothy Sanders
SEBUYAU: Three hundred telecommunication towers built by Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) have been handed over to the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC).
This was revealed by Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi, adding that it is for SDEC to install telecommunication equipment onto the towers that are under phase one of the SMA Rural Telecommunication (SMART) project.
“Right now, SDEC is installing telecommunication equipment on the towers so that we can have it on air and provide coverage.
“Before this, we invited all service providers in Malaysia to come and install their respective telecommunication equipment on the towers.
“However, our expectations of them were wrong. So, that is why the state government takes over and SDEC can install the equipment,” he said when met by reporters here after SMA Rindok Digital Programme at Dewan Pembangunan Sebuyau, today.
He said that this is an ongoing project that needs to be done carefully and with detail.
Another 300 towers will be built in phase two of the SMART project and will have telecommunication equipment installed at the same time.
SMA General Manager Dr Zaidi Razak chipped in stating project sites for phase two have been identified and will mobilise contractors to start the work.
“Hopefully, some of the towers will be ready to provide service and signal by the first quarter of next year,” he added.
Julaihi, who is Sebuyau assemblyman, said that 3,471 towers under the Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) have been completed and 1,043 are under construction.
Around 2,000 more will be constructed, but there are challenges as the region is vast and with difficult terrains.
“Some of the challenges are the hilly areas where sometimes the signal could not be reached to certain areas, so we have to identify the suitable site for a good signal.
“Another challenge is the land we want to build the telecommunication towers. Some lands are privately owned.
“So we have to get permission to acquire the land. If we cannot acquire the land, then that can slow down the project,” he said.
Apart from that, Julaihi also mentioned about accessibility being so hard to reach for areas where the towers are to be built.
“As I said before, it is still ongoing and we hope that the towers with the required equipment can provide coverage soon for everyone,” said the minister.
