KUCHING (June 18): A communication tower has been planned to be built in Entakong, Ulu Medamit under the National Digital Network (JENDELA) Phase 1 to solve the problem of poor Internet access in Ulu Medamit, Limbang, said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

In a statement today, it said that the construction of the tower complements the existing communication towers that have been operating, including the 27 commercial communication towers as well as nine communication towers that have been built under the MCMC’s Universal Service Provision (USP) programme in Limbang.

“As a long-term solution, a total of five new Telco towers around Limbang are currently under construction and are expected to be fully completed in the first quarter of 2022.

“In addition, 11 locations of mobile broadband services via satellite have been identified and construction works are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2021,” it said.

In addition, MCMC will conduct a visit to the location of the complaint in the near future to get a true picture as well as find temporary solutions to the problems encountered.

Under JENDELA Phase 1, a total of 33 new communication towers have been planned to be built around the Limbang district including in Entakong, Ulu Medamit.

Construction of all the communication towers is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2021, after the tender evaluation process is finalised by MCMC.

On Wednesday, The Borneo Post had reported Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang as calling upon the federal government to expedite the works on expanding network coverage over Ulu Medamit in Limbang, following the completion of the construction of the telecommunication towers at the end of last year.

He said that the poor connectivity has forced a group of children from Kampung Entakong to turn a section of a dirt road into a ‘makeshift classroom’ to study under the Teaching-Learning From Home (PdPR) programme, which has been running throughout different stages of the Movement Control Order (MCO) since March last year.

“There are four telecommunication towers in Ulu Medamit which were completed in mid-December, but the transmission equipment has yet to be installed,” said the assemblyman in a statement, issued in response to a post published on Limbang Facebook Community page.

Uploaded by netizen ‘Lenneth Xabi’, the post shows photos of children studying at a section of a dirt road in Ulu Medamit, where gunny sacks are used to cover the ground for them to sit on.

Even then, the internet coverage was unstable, according to the post.

“The situation faced by the PdPR students in UIu Medamit. Feeling sorry for them – they have to make do with internet connectivity that comes and goes; to wait 30 minutes up to one hour to regain the signal.

“Very difficult for these children to study; it’s not too warm in the early morning, but as noon approaches, it can get quite hot.

“I hope the internet coverage over Ulu Medamit would get better to facilitate these students,” wrote Lenneth Xabi in the Facebook post.