Measat aims to empower rural communities through CONNECTme Now

Yau (second right) and the Measat team together with Sarawak media at a networking luncheon in the Old Courthouse on Jan 16, 2024.

By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Jan 16: Measat, Malaysia’s satellite-based broadband service provider, is aiming not only to deliver satellite broadband connectivity to rural areas but also to empower these places by extending its CONNECTme NOW broadband services to facilitate digital services such as e-commerce, logistics, healthcare, and government services.

Its chief operating officer Yau Chyong Lim acknowledged the disparity between urban and rural Internet accessibility, noting that while urban dwellers often take connectivity for granted, rural folks with limited access use smartphones differently.

“Most rural people have smartphones but they probably only get connected when they visit the town once a week. So we want to bring connectivity to their doorsteps, albeit not directly into their homes but within accessible vicinity to enable communication with their families, children and loved ones. That is life changing for them.

“Providing connectivity is the first crucial step. A lot of services are enabled by broadband. Now we have established the connectivity but there remain many areas we need to go into to make an impact,” he said after a luncheon with Sarawak’s media organisations at a restaurant in the Old Courthouse here today.

Following Measat’s digital initiative of introducing logistic and e-commerce services to an Orang Asli village in Pahang, Yau expressed that the initial feedback has been positive.

As such, Measat is planning to replicate the success in other areas and expand into additional sectors such as government services and healthcare.

“As a satellite company with a 30-year history, we are here to connect the dots and make that happen,” he said.

Yau pointed out that the company will continue to explore new technologies such as the recent collaboration with Starlink, and is open to integrating other technologies like Amazon to further benefit the country.

“We have our own satellite but we are not going to stop there. We are going to look at other technologies and if it makes sense, we will bring it into the country and bundle it,” he added.

Its chief commercial officer Ganendra Selvaraj highlighted Measat’s dedication to narrowing the digital divide, ensuring that rural population enjoy the same benefits and access to services as their urban counterparts.

Its senior sales manager Kenneth Yong, Corporate Communications senior manager Shawna Felicia and her assistant Michelle Ng were also present. — DayakDaily