Better internet connectivity for Sabah by year-end

 By Olivia Miwil - March 1, 2022 @ 5:28pm

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) secretary general Datuk Zainal Abidin Abu Hassan(seated left) and state STI minister Datuk Yakub Khan ( seated second left) during the press conference after the launching East Malaysia's first digital Sandbox Internet of Thing (IoT) at Sabah International Convention Centre. - NSTP/OLIVIA MIWIL.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is expected to have better internet connectivity by year end with the National Digital Infrastructure Plan (Jendela) on track for completion as scheduled.

State Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Yakub Khan gave his assurances that the Jendela project will be completed by the end of 2022.

"For now, it is on schedule and we will wait until the end of the year. Hopefully it can solve the internet situation in Sabah," he said, adding that the state's current internet coverage stands at 85 per cent.

It is understood that Sabah is expected to achieve 91 per cent internet coverage by the year end, with the aim of 100 per cent coverage by 2025.

Yakub was asked during a press conference whether the current poor internet coverage in Sabah would hamper the initiatives to digitalise economic sectors through the newly-launched Internet of Things (IoT) Sandbox programme launched today.

Yakub acknowledged that internet disruption would occur in several areas due to upgrading works as 3G networks have been disabled and upgraded to 4G.

"There will definitely be disruptions in the midst of the (transition) process," he said.

Earlier, during the launch, Yakub had said that the Sandbox will be located at Wisma Bandaraya where the ministry's office is.

The programme, he said, will help transform the lives of Sabahans through the use of technology and IoT applications in everyday life and address the needs of the Sabah state market.

Present was Federal Science, Technology and Innovation secretary general Datuk Zainal Abidin Abu Hassan.