The rollout of the 5G network must be done accordingly to avoid losing potential investors, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

He said the 5G rollout needed to be done within three years with at least 80 percent of the populated areas being covered with the network.

“If investors wish to come to Malaysia, they will ask whether this country has 5G facility or not and if there is, they will come. “If we say in five years’ time, they will go somewhere else… so you will lose potential investors. That is something crucial for the well-being of the country.”

Malaysia has become a laggard in the region for rolling out 5G. The current stalemate where on the one hand there’s the Finance Ministry owned Digital Nasional Berhad ambitious with its Single Wholesale Network model where the entity will manage all the spectrums and lease out to mobile network operators (which MNO’s have since rejected) and the MNO’s seeking to be the second provider.

Until the situation is amicably resolved, no investor who is developing future technology in areas like AI, blockchain, metaverse, or quantum computing will be looking at Malaysia.

This tug of war has been the bane for the country which is ultimately causing a delay in the 5G rollout, Annuar had said that he would do the necessary to resolve related problems to ensure the rollout of 5G would be done accordingly.

“Whatever problem that comes along, I will make sure the things will be resolved. 

The Minister said both Ministries including the Finance Ministry would table a Cabinet Ministers’ memorandum next month to resolve the issues related to Digital Nasional Berhad “once and for all”.

DNB, the government’s special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the 5G rollout, had previously announced the availability of the network in certain parts of Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur end 2021. To date, many of the deliveribles have yet to be met.