KUCHING: Sarawak wants telecommunication service providers to expand their coverage in rural areas in line with the state's digitalisation agenda.
State Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi said the telcos should join forces with the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to cover the rural areas.
"We held an engagement session with telco operators and service providers last month to encourage them to go rural rather than just focusing on cities and urban areas. If they were to look at the state government's vision to digitalise Sarawak, that should also benefit them in the long term," he said.
Julaihi was speaking to reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (Sains), Sacofa Sdn Bhd and PP Telecommunication Sdn Bhd (PPTel) at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching on Wednesday (April 6).
He said his Ministry would continue to engage regularly with telcos on providing services in rural areas.
"When we conduct site visits, we will bring them along to see for themselves the need in the rural areas and the potential to be tapped in the near future," he said.
Julaihi also said Sarawak was targeting full telecommunication coverage by 2025 or 2030 at the latest.
To achieve this, he said the state needed at least 7,000 telco towers.
"At the moment, we have 50% of that only. We are working hard to have all the towers constructed throughout Sarawak," he said.
On the MOU, Julaihi said Sains, Sacofa and PPTel would work together to provide infrastructure and services to accelerate the digital transformation initiatives outlined in Sarawak's post-Covid-19 development strategy.
"The collaboration will effectively provide a complete ecosystem required for the digitalisation of Sarawak.
"The three parties will work together with other service providers, technology providers and local vendors to bring about the state's digital transformation," he said.