KUALA LUMPUR: Start work orders will be issued too set up more telecommunications towers nationwide, says Tan Sri Annuar Musa (pic).

       "I understand that the implementation of the national digital infrastructure plan, Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela), was on hold.

       "This despite tenders being opened in March this year.

       "I wish to assure this House that start work orders will be issued by this month to begin physical work on erecting the telecommunications towers under Phase 1 and 2 of the Jendela initiative, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak," the Communications and Multimedia Minister said when responding to a supplementary question raised by Ahmad Hassan (Warisan-Papar) in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Oct 11).

       This comes after Annuar lamented that low internet speed and poor signals were reasons why some rural students seek higher ground to get better signals.

       "I have done random checks on internet speeds and found that some don't even reach 35Mbs.

       "There are some places, the internet speed is below 10Mbs with some are even lower then 5Mbs.

       "This is the reason why some students look for areas with better signals," he added.

       Last June, 18-year-old Universiti Malaysia Sabah student Veveonah Mosibin caused a stir when she uploaded a video recording on YouTube of herself climbing a tall tree to get better phone signals to prepare for her examinations.

       Annuar noted that the need to set up the towers was also part of the national digitisation plan to migrate from 3G to 4G platforms.

       "The shutting down of 3G networks will take place by the end of December this year and migrate to the 4G platform.

       "We need to ensure that all this is completed by the end of 2022," he said.

       The RM21bil Jendela was launched last August to increase digital connectivity and to prepare the nation for a gradual transition to 5G technology.