KUALA LUMPUR – Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has labelled YTL Communications Sdn Bhd as “paling corot” (the worst performer) after revealing that none of the 51 telecommunications towers assigned to the company under the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) have been completed.
Fahmi said the company received the 51 towers but none are operational.
In comparison, he noted that CelcomDigi was assigned 866 towers, with 366 still under construction. Maxis was tasked with 134 towers, of which 96 are ongoing, U Mobile with 143 towers, 19 of which remain under development, and REDTone with 191 towers, with 45 still in progress.
“Previously, in several parliamentary responses, I expressed my intention to reveal which telcos were allocated towers but have yet to complete them.
“YTL is the worst performer. I’m sorry, but I have to mention this here—of the 51 towers they received, none are completed,” Fahmi said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question by Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (PN-Kuala Kangsar), who inquired about the status of telecommunications tower projects under Jendela and what actions were being taken against contractors failing to meet deadlines.
Fahmi, who is also the MP for Lembah Pantai, said strict action will be taken against contractors responsible for delayed projects.
“I have asked the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to review the towers facing delays and ensure firm action is taken against the contractors involved.
“Penalties under the Notification of Designation Notice that can be imposed include liquidated damages, seizing the Performance Bond, rejecting claims, and legal action under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 [Act 588],” he added.
Broadband coverage reaches 98.38% nationwide
As of October 31, broadband coverage in populated areas across the country has reached 98.38% under Jendela’s implementation, Fahmi said.
He reported that 8.88 million premises are now fibre-ready, while the median mobile broadband speed has reached 105.75 Mbps.
“Jendela Phase 1 is still ongoing. As of October 31, 1,385 out of 1,661 towers have been completed, and 808 of these are operational,” he said.
To address internet accessibility issues in urban and rural areas, Fahmi said the government, through MCMC, aims to achieve 100% internet coverage in populated areas by 2025.
MCMC will also provide infrastructure and basic communication services through the Universal Service Provision Fund to support rural and remote areas.
Jendela Phase 2 and Starlink projects
Discussing Jendela Phase 2, Fahmi said it requires evaluating suitable service delivery methods and the capacity of the Universal Service Provision Fund to finance both capital and operational expenditures.
On the deployment of Starlink devices, Fahmi explained that the government, through MCMC, is conducting a Proof of Concept (POC) in selected locations nationwide.
“This initiative aims to assess the feasibility of providing Starlink broadband services as an interim measure to resolve connectivity issues in underserved areas, including schools, universities, and remote locations,” he said. – November 28, 2024
