PETALING JAYA: A total of 6.85 million premises nationwide have been provided with access to a fibre optic network and 4G coverage under Phase One of the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela), says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Prime Minister said this covers 95% of populated areas from Dec 31 last year.

"Through Jendela, as many as 1.89 million new premises have fibre optics coverage and a total of 1,189 new 4G towers were built from September 2020 to December 2021.

"The Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) has also started access to a 5G wholesale network where as many as 500 5G sites have been activated as of Dec 31, 2021 in Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur.

“DNB is also targeting 3,500 sites (equivalent to 36% coverage in populated areas) at the end of 2022.

"Through the Small Entrepreneur Digitisation Empowerment Programme (PUPUK), a total of 883 Keluarga Malaysia Digital Economy Centres (PEDi) are operating, while 28 more will start operations by March 31, 2022 throughout Malaysia.

“These initiatives provide collective Internet access as well as entrepreneurship programmes for the local community," he said after chairing the first Digital Economy Council and the Fourth National Industrial Revolution (MED4IRN) for the year on Thursday (Feb 17).

Ismail Sabri added that the meeting concluded to mainstream the usage of robotic technology under the National Robotics Roadmap.

The density of robots in Malaysia for every 10,000 workers in 2019 is 55 units and the target is 195 units for every 10,000 workers by 2030, he added.

The council also supports the concept of catalytic projects to spur MyDIGITAL Aspirations.

He said the MyDIGITAL Catalyst Project Task Force will be established to select and monitor the implementation of the projects between the public and private sectors in a public-private partnership.