Ayer Kuning: Telecommunication access and internet access will be ensured at the optimum level throughout the Ayer Kuning State Legislative Assembly by-election, so as not to disrupt the by-election, especially during nomination and voting days. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will hold a meeting with telcos tomorrow to identify actions that can be taken for areas with less satisfactory access.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, MCMC has conveyed information that there are several Telco lines whose service quality may be unsatisfactory and they have contacted these Telco companies to get feedback. “Tomorrow, MCMC officials will chair a joint meeting to discuss the follow-up actions that need to be taken by these companies,” Fahmi said when attending the ‘Mini Akademi Asas Penerangan dan Sembang Santai Menteri Komunikasi Bersama Komuniti MADANI DUN Ayer Kuning Program’.

The Ayer Kuning by-election is being held following the death of incumbent Ishsam Shahruddin, 58, who died after playing football at the City Stadium, Penang, on February 25. The Election Commission (EC) has set the nomination day for the by-election as Saturday, April 12, while voting is on April 26 and early voting on April 22.

Fahmi stated that the government was committed to making continuous efforts to improve the quality of telecommunications and internet access nationwide. MCMC has been asked to also examine data from several parties such as OOKLA to identify localities that needed improvement, apart from relying only on public complaints. “So in the not-too-distant future, we will issue standard instructions to all Telcos to improve the internet service in the locations that have been listed based not only on general complaints, but also on the data we receive,” he added.