SARAWAK’S communication and multimedia regulatory body, the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), is applying for a licence to be a universal service provider (USP) in rural Sarawak.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said since telecommunication companies (telcos) are not keen to do business in the state’s sparsely populated hinterland as it is not economically viable, “the state government will have to go”.

“Telcos are not keen to provide their service in rural areas where the subscribers base is low.

“The operational and maintenance costs will also add to it not being economically viable.

“But we have to have that (internet) connectivity. (First) we need the licence,” he told reporters after launching the free school bus service – a state government initiative – for students in Kuching this afternoon.

The licence is for the installation of network facilities and deployment of network service for cellular services.

He gave Long San, a remote settlement deep in Baram in the Marudi division as an example, where no telcos are keen to go to and provide their communication services.

The settlement, inhabited by the ethnic Kenyah and some 530km from Kuching, is an increasingly popular tourist destination as it is the principal home of Kenyah culture – their arts, crafts, music and dance.

Abang Johari said in his meeting with Multimedia and Communications Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, who paid him a courtesy call while he was on a working visit in Kuching last week, he (Abang Johari) requested for the licence.

He said SMA has to date erected 170 towers but nearly all the towers located in the rural areas are just mere steel structures and not functioning they were designed for.

“We have built the towers but no telcos are utilising them.”

He said with the licence, “then the towers will be of some use”.

Abang Johari also said with SMA providing the telecommunication services, the rural people stand to benefit from low subscription charges.

“The government can charge a low rate for the internet subscription. There will be a lot of subsidies.

“Never mind if we make losses, the government can absorb it,” he said.

He also said it would also be pointless if the government keeps encouraging the rural farmers “to go internet of things” when there are no services where they are or the rates for the services are high.

When asked when he hoped to have the licence, Abang Johari said he hopes it would be “fast”.

“Easier to talk for the licence now. Not like before,” he said, alluding to the time when the Pakatan Harapan was in power in Putrajaya.

The chief minister said the state’s target is to have some 1,400 towers erected by the year 2025 for complete telecommunication coverage in the state. – July 15, 2020.