Kuching – January 19, 2019 - The Sarawak State Government’s initiative to undertake Federal Government’s responsibilities on telecommunications, by erecting 300 towers in the rural areas in Sarawak, has begun since late 2017. This initiative will be funded wholly by the Sarawak State Government. 

Based on the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Ordinance 2017, the Authority has been entrusted with the responsibilities to approve communication towers for the purpose of communication and multimedia activities in the State. Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), thus has tendered out site recce, site survey works and Tower erection to local companies. The site recce has been completed and SMA has finalized and has awarded the site survey works and tower erection to local companies in the end of 2018. 
 

SMA is actively engaging with the rakyat in conducting awareness programs, particularly on the land acquisition process. Currently, SMA has completed 30% in the Site Acquisition (SAQ) process. The rakyat will benefit from these processes as they are actively participating in the Telecommunication ecosystem. 

Furthermore, SMA has also been tasked to assist in reducing and eventually eliminating the digital gap between urban and remote rural areas in the state through its various awareness programs and digital innovation hubs.