KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will implement six new projects under the National Fiberisation Connectivity Plan (NFCP) which are worth around RM3 billion.
These projects, in compliance with the 2020 Economic Stimulus Package, will be fully funded by the Universal Service Provision (USP) fund, which is under the stewardship of MCMC.
MCMC Chairman, Al-Ishal Ishak said these projects were aimed at improving digital connectivity throughout the country, whilst ensuring sustained public investment into the industry.
“Throughout these projects, we intend to reduce the digital divide through the expansion of coverage and improvements of both fixed and mobile broadband quality, while laying out foundation for the new 5G network.
“It will also encompass the provisioning of public cellular and fixed broadband services across the country, which we believe will ultimately uplift the socio-economic wellbeing of the rakyat.
“We hope to create around 20,000 job opportunities over the five-year implementation period (of these projects), which started in 2019,” he said in a statement today.
Al-Ishal said investments into digital infrastructure were imperative as the country entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0).
“We believe it is timely to implement these six projects as we want to stimulate the national economic growth as well as provide better opportunities for Malaysians within the digital economy.
“It is also vital to spur the local economy in view of the challenging times due to issues such as the Covid-19 outbreak and global economic uncertainties,” he said.
The six NFCP projects, which began on Feb 15 with NFCP 1 and NFCP 2, are expected to lead to the expansion of public cellular services in various states.
NFCP 3 targets the provisioning of fibre optic broadband access network and services, while NFCP 4 would involve providing connectivity to 151 orang Asli settlements.
Meanwhile, the NFCP 5 project involves the upgrading of 377,360 copper broadband subscribers to fibre and is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2020.
NFCP 6 involves the installation of network facilities and deployment of network services for the provisioning of public cellular services at approximately 740 locations nationwide.
“Throughout all this, MCMC is also working with the communications and multimedia industry to develop more initiatives that would directly benefit consumers, and will make announcements on these initiatives in due course,” he said.