Ministry targets PoP completion by October 2025

KUCHING: About 10 per cent out of 681 Point of Presence (PoP) Phase 2 projects have been completed as of November this year in Sarawak.

In announcing this, Deputy Minister of Communication Teo Nie Ching said the remaining 90 per cent of PoPs in the state are expected to be completed by October 2025 by Borneo Restu Sdn Bhd.

Expressing her confidence in the capability of Borneo Restu to meet the deadline, she added that with its completion, it will provide opportunities for economic improvement in the rural areas.

“This high-speed and stable fiber optic broadband infrastructure provides efficient digitisation accessibility and is able to encourage the expansion of industrial activities, increase investment especially in new industrial areas and at the same time contribute to the growth of the national economy.

“Aside from that, it also enables the users to have access to wider information, promotes technology transfer at the global level as well as better automation processing to help industry to adapt to business challenges and opportunities in the digital economy era.

“That is why I hope this telecommunications infrastructure provided will be utilised to the best advantage by the people to improve their standard of living and explore a new lifestyle of better quality,” she said when visiting the PoP2 site at SK Santubong here Monday (Dec 18).

Teo pointed out that this PoP initiative is the government’s commitment to encourage the adoption of technology for all levels of society be they in the urban or rural areas.

“For Sarawak, a total of 748 PoPs have been planned throughout Phase 1 and 2. Through PoP Phase 1, RM84 million was allocated for TM Technology Services Company and RM4.4 million for VC Telecoms Sdn. Bhd.

“Meanwhile, for PoP Phase 2, RM1.08 billion is allocated for the Borneo Restu company which has been implementing this project since November 2022.”

She disclosed that through PoP Phase 1, 60 PoP have been successfully completed by TM Technology Services and subscribed by 2,862 users while an additional seven PoPs were completed by Syarikat VC Telecoms Sdn. Bhd. in industrial areas throughout Sarawak.

“With that, a total of 7,410 ports have been developed and are ready to be subscribed and benefit the people of Sarawak,” she said.