Unlike its predecessor, the Budget 2018 tabling by PM Najib Razak earlier today didn’t include any provisions on the national Internet infrastructure or packages. That being said, it does provide significant funding for Sabah and Sarawak for their communications infrastructure and broadband facilities.
According to the announcement, RM 1 billion has been reserved for this purpose which itself is a part of RM 6.5 billion package that is meant to deliver basic infrastructure in rural areas. However, PM Najib Razak didn’t provide any specific details on how the funding will be exactly used at both states apart from that the fact that it will be delivered through Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Nevertheless, the funding should be able to help MCMC get closer to the objective. Truth to be told, the commission have already working to improve communications and broadband condition in both Sabah and Sarawak for quite some time.
This can be seen through the increasing number of Pusat Internet 1Malaysia and new telecommunications towers as well as the implementation of high speed broadband network at both states. Furthermore, Sistem Kabel Rakyat 1Malaysia that connects Sabah, Sarawak, and Peninsular Malaysia already operational since earlier this year.
(Source: PM Najib Razak. Image: RTM’s Budget 2018 live feed.)
