Satellite TV transmission to Sabah, S'wak interior

Source : Daily Express 13/05/2010

Sibu: Some 200,000 people in the interior of Sarawak and Sabah will be able to enjoy Free to air TV via satellite transmission from August, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Government was taking the move in response to issues raised in the Dewan Rakyat about the lack of television coverage especially by the TV1, TV2 and TV3 channels in rural areas in Sarawak like Kapit, Belaga and Marudi.

"This is another promise of the Barisan Nasional (BN) government that we are able to deliver," he said when launching Radio Televisyen Malaysia's (RTM) satellite transmission service to Sarawak and Sabah's interiors and the 1Malaysia computer, in conjunction with a dinner with Sibu's Chinese business community, Wednesday.

His wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and the BN's candidate for the Sibu by-election Lau Hui Yew were also present.

The project which is a joint effort by the Information Communication and Culture Ministry, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, RTM and pay-TV operator Astro will also benefit 40,000 residents of 124 longhouses in Sarawak.

He said this also reflected the actual implementation of 1Malaysia - ensuring that the people, especially in Sarawak and Sabah, irrespective of their backgrounds, had access to information on the latest developments taking place.

By launching the transmission via satellite, the government is expected to save infrastructure and operating cost of almost RM90 million.

The Prime Minister said the government was aware that about 12 per cent of the population did not get television coverage because of the remoteness of where they lived.

This factor made it not practical or economical to build transmission stations for television broadcasts but with the packages that would be offered for the TV1, TV2, TV3 and several Astro channels, which would be determined later, this segment of the population would be able to enjoy free television coverage, he said.

At the same time, he said, efforts were being intensified to overcome technical difficulties so that RTM's radio coverage could also be transmitted via satellite to the same segment.

At the same function, Najib also distributed Netbooks with the 1Malaysia brand each worth RM999 to 50 needy students from around Sibu.

He said a total of 1,000 units of the computer would be distributed nationwide to targetted groups,including those in lower income groups like people living in traditional and new villages.

The provision of the computers is part of the National Broadband Initiative aimed at making a quantum leap in information communication technology in line with the New Economic Model and achieving developed nation status by 2020.