KUALA LUMPUR: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry denied claims of expensive Internet charges in Malaysia.
Deputy Minister Datuk Jailani Johari said the International Telecommunication Union Affordability Report 2013 stated that cellular and broadband Internet services were competitively priced compared to other advanced and developing countries.
He said the penetration rate for cellphones reached 143.7% this month with every Malaysian having at least one phone.
This percentage meant that there are 43.1 million cellphone service subscriptions, compared to a population of 30 million.
"The broadband penetration for households reached 67%, with a total of 6.4 million subscribers.
"The country now requires another 7.9% to reach its 75% target of broadband penetration by next year," Jailani told the Dewan Rakyat during question time.
On the safety of telecommunication towers located near schools, Jailani assured that the radio frequency (RF) emissions within the vicinity of schools, including the classroom, canteen and teachers' room, were at a safe level.
"Towers placed in schools are part of the 1BestariNet project under the Education Ministry.
"Tests have shown that the average RF emission in the shcool compound is about 0.0002 watts per square metre. This is a safe level and adheres to fixed mandatory standards," he said.
"It does not present health risks to the surrounding public including senior citizens and children," he said.
