Following tragedy, company brings internet access to Sabah village

 By Olivia Miwil - January 9, 2021 @ 11:36am

Common Tower Technologies recently deployed a prepaid high-speed WiFi hotspot service for villagers of Kampung Gusi here. - NSTP/ courtesy of Common Tower Technologies

RANAU: A father whose children were injured while attempting to gain internet access on a suspension bridge, last year, wants improved network coverage for his village.

Abdul Rasid Amiril, 43, from Kampung Gusi here, said a telecommunications tower should be built immediately to prevent future untoward incidents.

"If a telecommunications tower is built, all of the villagers at Kampung Gusi can access the internet from homes. This is to avoid similar accidents in the future."

On Nov 24, four of his children who were accessing the internet on the bridge for online studies, fell 18m after the structure gave way.

The bridge is one of the few spots where the intermittent cellular signal for internet access was available, especially at night.

It became a gathering spot for students to study online after the Covid-19 pandemic had forced the closure of schools.

"I cannot forget the day I saw four of my children lying injured in the river below.

"One of my children, 16-year-old daughter Norhana, broke her right thigh as she had fallen onto a rock. She is still receiving treatment at the district hospital here."

Recently, it was reported that Common Tower Technologies Sdn Bhd (CTT), a company under the state government's investment arm, deployed a prepaid high-speed WiFi hotspot service for the village.

Norhana Abdul Rasid (on wheelchair), 17, still warded at district hospital for broken thigh after she fell from a collapsed suspension bridge at Kampung Gusi here with three other siblings last November. - NSTP/ courtesy of ABDUL RASID AMIRIL

However, Abdul Rasid, who is also a community leader at the village, said the service is only available in areas near the compound of SK Gusi, which is about 500m from their house.

"Yes, we can access the internet there, but it is not appropriate to be there all the time. It would be like loitering," he said.

Following reports on the bridge incident, CTT was approached to provide broadband connectivity via Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) service.

CTT general manager Law Chun Ming had said the project, which would benefit 280 villagers there, is part of the company's corporate social responsibility initiatives.

He added that the technology by MEASAT Global Berhad is the ideal solution to provide quick upgrades for internet communication and reliability for the community of Kampung Gusi, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The community can gain access by purchasing data packages according to their needs.