RAUB, EDOTCO Group Sdn Bhd, in collaboration with Zeta IOS to deliver rural connectivity in Malaysia, has closed the Internet gap for some 150 residents of Kampung Sungai Kelit here.

The installation of of fixed wireless access point (FWA – using radio frequency instead of cables) and Super WiFi (broadband connectivity) has finally eliminated this absence of telecommunications, an annoyance for the villagers in their daily lives in this digital age.

EDOTCO Group Regulatory Head Firdaus Fadzil said he was satisfied with the successful installation of the Internet where villagers no longer have to walk two kilometres to find Internet connectivity.

‘We understand and sympathise with the challenges faced by the community here. EDOTCO not only implements commercial projects but we are one of the largest tower builders in Malaysia.

‘We were given a mandate to implement the National Digital Network (JENDELA) programme and in Pahang alone, we were given the responsibility to implement the Internet at 46 sites,’
he told Bernama during the EDOTCO work visit to the village today.

Meanwhile, the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Zeta IOS Zaaim Redha pointed out that only EDOTCO managed to close the Internet gap for the villagers despite many calls made by various telecommunication companies.

‘We use Starlink to bring Internet, super wifi and FWA where the Internet usage area is approximately three football fields with a speed of 100 megabits per second (Mbps),’ Zaaim said.

Earlier, EDOTCO Malaysia Business Director Gayan Koralage made a video call to Tengku Arif Bendahara Pahang, Tengku Muhammad Iskandar Ri’ayatuddin Shah Ibni Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah as Chairman of Shahzan Alam Muda and who was out of the country, to test the WiFi speed and check the performance of the network.

In the meantime, Tok Batin of Kampung Sungai Kelit Tambi Yin expressed gratitude that the village finally has Internet facilities.

‘Before, when there was an emergency, we had to go to the
main road to get help and Internet coverage. There were among us, the terminally ill, where we could not get help in time during such trying times.

‘During the (COVID-19) pandemic, our children and grandchildren had to walk 1.5 km to get Internet coverage. They had to scramble to borrow phones from whoever had Internet because they wanted to join online classes.

‘We were told that this WiFi is only free for six months, I hope the government can help to provide us with Internet all the time,’ he said.

When queried about the extension of Internet services after it ends in six months, a spokesperson of the Raub district Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) Education Unit said it will hold a meeting soon with the state government to arrive at a decision.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency