KULAI: A total of 158 communication transmitter stations nationwide were affected by floods, and as of now, 151 of them have been restored and are operational, said Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
She said out of the 158 affected transmitter stations, 66 are in Terengganu, Kelantan (59), Johor (21), Pahang (9), Selangor (2) and Sabah (1).
She noted that among the total affected transmitter stations, 117 suffered power outages due to Tenaga Nasional Bhd, 38 incurred damage to electronic equipment and three were impacted by flooded access roads to the stations.
"At present, seven transmitter stations remain non-operational in Johor, primarily in the districts of Kota Tinggi and Kluang," she told Bernama after her visit to the Nursing Room Project upgrade at the Kulai Besar Health Clinic today (January 11).
Teo said the ministry is implementing the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in flood preparedness by instructing telecommunications companies (telcos) to conduct site hardening on telecommunication towers situated in flood-prone areas.
She said that telcos are also deploying generators in affected areas to prevent disruptions in telecommunication services.
"However, we are aware that the generators have a limited four-hour duration. Consequently, if certain areas experience prolonged power outages, the generators will be replaced.
"But the decision to use generators depends on the current conditions, such as accessibility issues due to flooding, making it potentially challenging," she said.
Currently, the impact of the disaster is limited to Johor and Pahang.
Earlier, Teo, who is the Kulai Member of Parliament (MP), said her office has allocated a total of RM376,141 for the health sector in the Kulai district from 2018 until last year.
She said this allocation includes RM148,041 for upgrading the parking area with tar at Temenggong Seri Maharaja Tun Ibrahim Hospital and enhancing the vector sector at Kulai Besar Health Clinic. — Bernama