On the right track

Once implemented, the MyDebit system will allow users to pay for tickets using an ATM card. — Bernama

Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, which operates the country’s LRT, MRT and KL Monorail train lines, is about to introduce a new payment method.

The company confirmed it’s currently installing MyDebit card readers at LRT stations after a netizen spotted the machine at the Wangsa Maju station in Kuala Lumpur.

The MyDebit system, which will allow users to pay for tickets using an ATM card, is expected to undergo testing by year-end.

Digi is extending wired broadband coverage to selected areas in Melaka, Perak and Cyberjaya. — Digi

Meanwhile, Digi announced it has teamed up with Allo Technology – a wholly owned subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) – to expand its wired broadband footprint beyond the Klang Valley.

The partnership will see Digi extending its reach to selected areas in Melaka, Perak and Cyberjaya.

Digi chief marketing officer Praveen Rajan said this will speed up the delivery of home broadband services, especially now when there is a critical demand for a reliable Internet connection for remote work and educational needs.

This collaboration is a continuation of a partnership that started with a pilot project to offer home broadband services to 1,100 residents and businesses in Melaka early last year.

Malaysians across the country have been demanding better Internet access since the movement control order (MCO) and a recent poll indicated that most telco customers are unhappy with their service.

Most consumers are not satisfied with the quality of Internet offered by telcos, according to a poll. — GLENN GUAN/The Star

The Communications and Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia (CFM), which conducted an online poll in July, found that most consumers are not satisfied with the quality of Internet offered by telcos.

The poll also found that most respondents have multiple issues, including poor quality of indoor coverage and lack of improvements even after lodging complaints.

“We conducted this poll during the MCO period, when everyone was highly dependent on the Internet to work from home and stay connected.

“This issue should not happen, as telcos have promised to provide the service as subscribed and should be more proactive in improving their services,” said CFM chairperson Datin Mohana Mohariff.

CFM is working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to tighten the provisions of the General Consumer Code (GCC) of Practice which serves to protect consumer rights, she added.

“Some of the topics that will be reviewed in the GCC are the service contractual terms and conditions to provide a critical information summary, and more attention to consumers with special needs,” she said.

CFM also encouraged consumers to contact their telcos with detailed information when facing issues, adding that if the matter is not resolved, they can file a report to CFM via MCMC’s integrated portal.

There is also a need to be responsible when posting content online, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Ismail Sabri urges the public not to turn matters related to the pandemic into a joke on social media. — Bernama

Ismail Sabri said this after an influencer posted a skit on social media of himself wearing a pink wristband and dining in a public area.The pink wristband is issued by the Health Ministry to those who arrive from abroad and have to observe a mandatory two-week quarantine at home.

He was chastised by people around him but he told them the pink wristband was a “stay at home order by his wife”.

“We shouldn’t take this (Covid-19) as a joke or laughing matter. It’s a major issue as it has to do with people’s lives.

“Don’t assume this is a matter that can be taken lightly or played for laughs because it has far-reaching consequences,” Ismail Sabri said at a press conference.

Following criticism by viewers, the influencer took the video offline and issued an apology. He also claimed that the reaction of others in the video was staged.