MCMC director for Sabah and Labuan Izani Othman, second from right, met with Kampung Gusi village head Galam Abdullah (centre) to ask about victims who fell from a bridge in the village as they tried to get Internet connectivity.
PETALING JAYA: Residents in Kg Gusi in Ranau, Sabah can expect better broadband internet connection once VSAT (very small aperture terminal) technology is installed in the village, says the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
It said the technology would be installed by Common Tower Technologies Sdn Bhd (CTT), a state-backed company which is a subsidiary of Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd and that it is expected to be installed by Dec 15
"This initiative is part of the company's corporate social responsibility," the Commission said in a statement.
It said the terminal will serve as a temporary solution to equip the village with broadband services.
MCMC added that three more telecommunication towers will be built near the village under the National Digital Infrastructure Plan (Jendela).
The Commission issued the statement following an incident where two people were hospitalised after they fell from a broken bridge while trying to get better internet connectivity.
On Nov 24, eight villagers - including three students - were on the bridge when a cable snapped, causing the bridge to tilt at around 9.30pm.
Seven people fell off the bridge but one managed to hang on.
The incident left a 16-year-old female victim with a fractured thigh bone and a 36-year-old man with an injured spine, while five other victims received outpatient treatment and were sent home.
The students are believed to have gone to the bridge to follow online lessons.
MCMC director for Sabah and Labuan Izani Othman recently visited the remote village and met with its head, Galam Abdullah, to ask about the victims.
On Saturday (Nov 28), Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam said the bridge is likely to be upgraded since it was over 10 years old.
However, he said authorities have not been able to go down to the village recently as wet weather hampered travel.
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