LAWAS: A new digital connectivity partnership between Limbang and Lawas is expected to improve internet stability and resilience, strengthen rural access and establish an alternative network route to northern Sarawak.
The initiative is formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Digital Connectivity of Limbang and Lawas, which seeks to strengthen connectivity between the two northern divisions through the use of Sarawak owned telecommunications infrastructure.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the MoU must now move beyond commitments and be translated into concrete action to ensure more stable and resilient internet services.
He said reliable digital connectivity was now as fundamental as roads, bridges, electricity and water supply in driving socio-economic development, particularly in rural areas.
“The MoU must be translated into action,” he said when officiating the MoU Exchange Ceremony on the Digital Connectivity of Limbang and Lawas at Dewan Bukit Sari here on Wednesday.
Awang Tengah said internet connectivity was no longer a luxury but an essential service supporting education, healthcare, businesses, government services and emergency communications.
He said stable internet access would enable students to participate in online learning, allow local entrepreneurs to reach wider markets, and facilitate public access to information and digital government services.
The Bukit Sari assemblyman said connectivity gaps must be addressed comprehensively by identifying areas with poor coverage through data analysis and mapping, especially in rural locations where geographical challenges often hinder infrastructure development.
He said technologies such as Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) systems and satellite connectivity could provide practical solutions for hard-to-reach areas.
“The MySRBN project, for instance, has helped improve communication in remote areas such as Long Semadoh,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Utilities and Telecommunications Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi said the collaboration marked an important step towards strengthening digital connectivity in Limbang and Lawas through the use of Sarawak-owned infrastructure.
He said the initiative involved telecommunication towers operated by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC) and Syarikat SESCO Berhad’s ‘virtual fibre’ network.
“This will create a stronger and more resilient connectivity route while reducing our reliance on routes that pass through Brunei Darussalam,” he said.
Earlier, SDEC chairman and Sarawak Energy board member Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Abdul Ghani said the network development to Limbang and Lawas involved an overall alignment of about 1,926 kilometres.
He said the infrastructure would establish an alternative digital route to northern Sarawak while strengthening the state’s digital resilience.
“The initiative not only strengthens digital connectivity but also supports efforts to safeguard Sarawak’s digital sovereignty by ensuring strategic communications infrastructure remains under our own control and is capable of meeting the state’s future digital needs,” he said.
