Fund to serve rural areas starting early next year
KUALA LUMPUR: Postal services in rural, remote and island areas will receive continued support through a new RM150mil Postal Fund, which is expected to begin operating in early 2027.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the fund would be administered by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to ensure the smooth delivery of services under the Universal Service Obligation (USO), particularly mail to areas with limited connectivity.
“The establishment of the Postal Fund utilises the same principle as the Universal Service Provision (USP) fund for the telecommunications sector, with relevant provisions already enshrined in the Postal Services Act since 2012.
“Although this fund has long existed within the Act, no previous government had made the effort to establish it until the Madani government,” he said at a press conference after launching the World Post Day celebration here yesterday, Bernama reported.
Fahmi said the scope of the fund will also be reviewed to determine whether it could cover not only postal services but also the cost of delivering goods to remote areas far from urban centres.
He said the ministry and MCMC will also explore measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the postal and courier ecosystem, which has operated for more than 200 years, amid advances in technology, the digital economy and e-commerce.
Fahmi said adjustments to policies, laws and operations are necessary to ensure the industry remains competitive, while safeguarding workers’ welfare with appropriate wages and compensation.
Fahmi said MCMC had begun engaging e-commerce service providers, with major courier companies and regulatory and enforcement agencies, including the police and the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.
He said closer coordination is crucial to addressing complaints involving e-commerce services and goods deliveries more effectively.
Earlier, Pos Malaysia marked World Post Day, observed annually on Oct 9, by launching a special stamp and unveiling the country’s first electric three-wheeled vehicle for last-mile deliveries, designed to increase cargo capacity and improve safety.
Fahmi said the ministry, along with Pos Malaysia and MCMC, will produce a special stamp to mark the 70th anniversary of the Malayan independence next year.
