KUANTAN: Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan launched an upgraded slipway facility by Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) at Kampung Mukut, Pulau Tioman.
The rehabilitation works were undertaken to replace the ageing structure, which had posed safety risks to users, particularly students undergoing sailing training.
The upgraded facility provides safer access for students to handle boats and sailing equipment, supporting the development of young talent in the sport.
The initiative forms part of TM’s efforts through TM Future Skills (TMFS) to extend learning beyond the classroom, with its sailing talent development programme involving students from all four schools on Pulau Tioman, supported by technical guidance from the Malaysia Sailing Association (MSA).
The launch took place during Amir Hamzah’s visit to Kampung Mukut, as part of his working visit to review the implementation and progress of the Kampung Angkat Madani initiative on Pulau Tioman.
Kampung Mukut is TM’s adopted village and the starting point of the Jangkau Digital TM initiative in 2025.
More than a year on, the initiative continues to expand, extending its impact to communities across Pulau Tioman through digital connectivity, education and talent development, empowerment of local entrepreneurs and environmental conservation.
TM group chief executive officer Datuk Amar Huzaimi Md Deris said technology becomes truly meaningful when its benefits are felt by and make a difference in people’s lives.
“On Tioman, we want digital progress to create more opportunities for our children, help entrepreneurs grow, strengthen communities and preserve the island’s environment and heritage.
“This reflects TM’s greater purpose – ensuring that digital progress is not simply about the technology we build, but about how it empowers people and creates opportunities for a better future. Our experience in Mukut provides us with a foundation to extend this impact further across Tioman.”
Among the latest developments is the implementation of the MasjidNet solution across all five mosques on Pulau Tioman, strengthening their role as connected community hubs that support community activities and sahsiah development.
In education, the reach of TMFS continues to be strengthened across all four schools on Pulau Tioman through exposure to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), digital skills and talent development.
Sailing has emerged as one of the development pathways that leverages Tioman’s unique geography to help students build skills, discipline and self-confidence.
The initiative provides opportunities for the students to explore a water sport with the potential to take them to national and international levels, supporting the aspiration for Tioman to become a hub for young sailing talent and a pipeline for future national athletes.
To support the local economy, TM is collaborating with the Tioman Development Authority (TDA) towards the aspiration of positioning the island as a smart eco-tourism destination.
Through Unifi Business, digital training for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) continues to be expanded to help entrepreneurs promote their products and services online and reach more customers and tourists.
TM is also extending the Usahawan Digital TM programme to eligible B40 entrepreneurs identified through the eKasih database, creating more income opportunities through the digital economy.
On the environmental front, TM has initiated a biodiversity baseline study in collaboration with local universities to identify and document endemic species and local ecosystems.
The findings will provide a foundation for more structured and effective biodiversity conservation efforts on Pulau Tioman.
In Mukut, TM is also collaborating with the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) to preserve the mangga dodol, a local heritage variety synonymous with the village, including through tree rehabilitation and pest management.
Having begun in Kampung Mukut as TM’s first smart eco village, Jangkau Digital TM is now being progressively expanded across Pulau Tioman, with the aim of creating more digital opportunities and extending its benefits to more communities, while preserving the island’s unique natural environment and identity.
