Sabah village made famous for poor internet connection added to Jendela programme

 By Olivia Miwil - January 24, 2021 @ 1:11pm

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission officer visited the spot that has a makeshift hut built by Jeffery Joseph (second right) for his three children at Kampung Gana. - NSTP/ courtesy of Datuk Johnny Mositun

PAPAR: Kampung Gana will be among villages here to enjoy better internet connection in the near future, said Limbahau Community Development Leader Datuk Johnny Mositun.

He said the village, which gained attention after a father of three had to build a makeshift hut at a secluded location for his children's online studies, has been included in the list for the National Digital Network (Jendela) implementation nationwide.

The other two villages are Kampung Tanaki and Kampung Mandalipau in the Limbahau constituency.

As the Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Limbahau chief, Johnny said he had sent a letter dated Nov 17, 2020 to the manager of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Sabah and Labuan for telecommunications towers and transmitters in interior villages in Limbahau.

"I was fully aware of this problem during my last visit in November to a few villages in Limbahau such as Kg Kaiduan, Kg Tanaki, Kg Gana, Kg Kopimpinan, Kg Bolotikon, Kg Mandalipau Ovai and Kg Kapalid Kobulu, Labak that do not have digital network coverage and support.

"I was sad to note that there were no mobile telco lines and Internet connectivity in those villages and it is a difficult life for the villagers, as well as their children who could not study online," he said in a statement.

Johnny added that news of the three villages' inclusion in the Jendela programme was related to him via a letter on Dec 9, 2020.

He said MCMC Sabah and Labuan assistant director Sufri Hasan Mindar had also visited the hill where primary school teacher from SK Buayan, Jeffrey Joseph, 41, built a makeshift hut on top of a hill at Kg Gana.

The place is the only spot where the Internet is accessible, so his three children could study online.

Johnny also hoped that the government would consider providing more new towers and telecommunication transmitters to other villages in Limbahau in its next phase of the Jendela initiative.

"The government should seriously come up with a long-term solution to address the non-availability of Internet phone coverage in other areas in Sabah especially now in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic."