KOTA KINABALU: Sabah hopes that Jalinan Digital Negara (Jendela) Phase 2 rollout will tackle shortfalls faced in the implementation of digital connectivity for schools and rural areas under the first phase.
State Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk James Ratib said previous experience, particularly concerning Internet connectivity performance in schools across Sabah, should serve as an important lesson in the implementation of new projects.
“We have previously raised concerns over the performance of Internet connectivity in Sabah schools.
"We do not want the same shortcomings to be repeated, especially in rural and interior areas where communities are highly dependent on reliable digital connectivity,” he said on Wednesday (Aug 19).
James said that stable Internet connectivity was no longer an additional facility but an essential requirement for sectors such as education.
He said this is to ensure that teachers and students can effectively access digital learning, educational platforms and online resources.
In welcoming the rollout, he said the Sabah government appreciates the Federal Government's commitment, particularly in expanding Internet access to rural and interior areas that continue to face telecommunication coverage challenges.
He said Sabah will give its full cooperation to the Federal Government and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) in efforts to bridge the digital divide between urban, rural and interior communities.
However, James said Sabah wants the implementation of Jendela Phase 2 to be measured not by the number of projects delivered on schedule, but by Sabahans receiving good, stable and reliable internet connections.
“For Sabah, the success of Jendela Phase 2 should not be measured merely by how many towers are built or how many areas are classified as having coverage.
"The real measure of success is whether people in these areas can actually access the Internet effectively, consistently and reliably in their daily lives,” he said.
“Sabah will not compromise on the quality of connectivity, particularly in rural areas,” he said.
He urged MCMC to ensure that the service providers appointed for the implementation of Jendela Phase 2 possess the necessary technical capabilities, operational capacity and proven track record.
