Downstream connectivity by widening Internet access and enhancing telecommunications structure is one of the focuses of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), says Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communications Minister further said that it was the sovereign right of Malaysia on how to roll out its 5G network and no other country should tell the government how it should be done.
00:00Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that the sessions that you had earlier today and also into the afternoon will shed some light into how different industries are looking at the challenges, the opportunities presented by these emerging technologies.
00:23They are exciting times. These are uncertain times. For someone who has had to guide Malaysia through what we call a single wholesale network rollout of 5G, when no other country in the world had advised us to roll out 5G in such a way.
00:43And subsequently, when we reached our goal of 80% coverage of populated areas, to switch to a dual approach, I hope indicates not only the resilience of this administration's vision of ensuring a sustainable, equitable, competitive, resilient, robust connectivity ecosystem,
01:10by shifting from single to dual, we enable competition, while still enjoying the benefits of having the first network there.
01:21So for all Malaysians, we have achieved about 82.4% coverage of populated areas, and our 5G penetration rate has reached 80% in barely a year.
01:3680%. It took South Korea 5 years to get to 58% of adoption rate within their own country. And South Korea was among the early movers, early adopters of 5G.
01:49And so, I think people like Joakim and Tim all understand, especially in my conversations,
01:59you mobile, you mobile, you mobile, you must be able to roll out, the second network.
02:05But especially in the early days of thinking about how our connectivity issues need to be steadied with a vision of collaboration, competition, it was not easy, I can tell you.
02:22There were times when I had to meet with all of the members of the diplomatic corps who wanted to understand what are the implications for moving in such and such a way, for adopting such and such a posture or a position.
02:38And I've had to explain as well to industry that the government is trying to steer a steady course and make sure that we do not throw out the baby with the bathwater.
02:50That in moving from a single wholesale to a dual network approach, this will in the end give us better leverage, better opportunities and still remembering that Malaysia is a sovereign nation,
03:08that we have every right to decide on our domestic policies. And that it is Malaysia alone that will decide on Malaysia's direction, especially with regards to connectivity issues.
03:22Could you give some teaser, a lot of budget for RMK15, what is the context of connectivity RMK15?
03:34I can't give you a teaser unfortunately.
04:04What are the expectations for you?
04:34We will be focused on several sector, industry-industry
04:43which is added to the value creation
04:48and the focus is on the selection of the downstream
04:57downstream sectors.
04:59So, this is general, but the point is that we will know
