Inland Sabah, Sarawak focus of the second phase Window 2-Fahmi

MELAKA, 10 Oct: The implementation of the second phase of National Digital Line Plan (JENDELA) 2 will be concentrated in rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak involving 2,000 locations, with various state-of-the-art technology solutions being used to expand Internet reach according to area suitability.

Communication Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said that overall JENDELA 2 involves 3,000 locations with populations ranging from 20 to 30 people to 200 to 300 people, which requires different approaches to ensure internet access is available.

"For the first phase, a third location on the peninsula, a third in Sabah and a third in Sarawak, so we did it fairly.

"But in the second phase, many of its locations are in rural Sarawak and also in Sabah, there are some locations on the Peninsula as well", he said.

He said this when he met after the inauguration of MADANI YU Program (PMK) 2026 together with Paya Rumput@Sanga Batu community organized by Department of Community Communications (J-KOM) in collaboration with Prime Minister's Office through Performance Leverage Coordination Unit (PACU) as strategic partner in Krubong Public Housing Project, here today.

Attending were Deputy Minister of Higher Education Adam Adli Abdul Halim, J-KOM Chief Director Mohd Hisyamuddin Ghazali and the Political Secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Azman Abidin.

Commenting further, Fahmi said about a third of the total location under Window 2 will involve the construction of telecommunications towers, while the rest use various solutions tailored to local conditions.

He said Starlink satellite technology was among the options that could be utilised, especially in areas with low population density and facing challenges of landforms and vegetation litter.

The latest version of Starlink's smaller, portable and energy-efficient technology also has the potential to help provide Internet access in areas that are difficult to cover.

"So we're going to leverage technologies like Starlink to help ensure internet access, including in Indigenous villages", he said.

In the presentation of Budget 2027 yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the government will invest RM5 billion to strengthen internet connectivity across the country through the JENDELA 2 project, including expanding 4G coverage to all Orang Asli villages by next year.

In this, he said over 30 PMK programs will be held across the country to expand the dissemination of information on government initiatives including benefits of Budget 2027 to the people.

"I have asked the MADANI Monitoring Unit to implement Budget 2027 related information in this programme to ensure that the benefits announced by the Prime Minister are known and understood by the people.

Earlier, more than 3,000 people visited the program to get information on services, initiatives and benefits offered by 35 ministries, departments and agencies as well as strategic partners in the program that has been running since 8 am today.

Among the services provided are RAHMAH Sale and Agro MADANI Sale, free health checks, MyDigital ID registration, unclaimed cash check-in and free haircut services. -TVS