SEBUYAU: Nine new 4G towers have been designed in the area and are scheduled to become operational in stages by the fourth quarter of 2023, said Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
Out of the total, he said three new towers, located in Kampung Tambai, Kampung Setika, and Kampung Pantu Pelaie, have started operating.
He said that the first phase of the supervision project by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is being actively carried out and will be continued with the second phase, which involves the electrical connection for the installation of telecommunications equipment.
However, he added, it’s up to the service providers to set their equipment on the said towers.
“The federal and state governments only provide the towers. It’s up to the service providers to install their equipment.
“But the demand in this area is more for U-Mobile as their service provider. So the tower here will be set up by them once phase 1 is completed,” he said.
He said this to reporters after visiting the telecommunications tower site in Kampung Klait here yesterday (April 15).
Elaborating, Julaihi said for the remaining six new towers in Kampung Kakus, Kampung Tungkah Melayu, Kampung Kelait, Kampung Bajong, Kampung Lunying, and Kampung Entangor, they are still in the implementation stage and are expected to be in operation by the fourth quarter of 2023.
On the same note, he stated that he was informed that the erectors or workers, who were climbing and performing tower connection works up to a height of 76 metres, were specially brought in from Sabah.
He asserted that the reason is that it is difficult to obtain erectors from the local workforce in Sarawak.
Earlier, Julaihi had visited the Tebelu Digital Economic Centre (Pusat Ekonomi Digital, or PEDi).
PEDi is a government initiative to accelerate digital transformation among local communities throughout the country.
With the implementation of the Tebelu PEDi, which was under the supervision of MCMC, the local residents can benefit from broadband services and enhance their socio-economic level through entrepreneurship training.
Through the ICT (information and communications technology) training offered at PEDi, the locals can also be exposed to digital skills and spur innovation in the digital field to drive the country’s digital economic agenda.
During his visit, Julaihi handed over assistance to four villagers who were victims of a recent fire.
On Monday (April 10), two houses were destroyed by fire, which also caused damage to several other houses in Kampung Tebelu.
