THE Covid-19 pandemic has exposed our unsatisfactory broadband situation especially in rural and remote areas. The report about a student who had to climb a tree to get better Internet access in order to do her online exam is a case in point: “Sabah girl stays in tree to get Internet connection” (The Star, June 12).
In the past, we’ve had a few misadventures in our quest to develop our broadband connections. These include the NetBook project (but without the Net), Kampung Tanpa Wayar (wireless villages) and 1BestariNet (without sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the need of users) and HSBB (High Speed Broadband) focusing on areas with significant economic activities only. The most recent is the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) even though we do not have an integrated fiberisation plan.