Kuala Lumpur: The Communications Ministry, through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), has agreed to allocate RM200 million to resolve internet connectivity issues at Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) educational institutions.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated that addressing internet access problems at educational institutions, including those under MARA, is part of the ministry’s efforts through the National Digital Economy and Fourth Industrial Revolution Council (MED4IRN). He announced the additional RM50 million funding, atop an existing RM150 million fund, during the ‘Amazing Syawal’ celebration at Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia (UPTM) 2025. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang, Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, MCMC executive chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din, and MARA chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Fahmi emphasized that he hopes the enhanced internet facilities will be used responsibly by students. He urged MARA to join the Safe Internet Campaign to ensure students understand the importance of safe internet usage and avoid scams, cyberbullying, and child sexual exploitation.
Furthermore, Fahmi expressed concern over the rising number of rape and incest cases in Kelantan, noting that many incidents involved consensual relations. He highlighted an alarming increase of 15.6 percent in consensual rape cases involving children under 12 in the first three months of this year.
Fahmi also addressed a case in Kulai, Johor, related to AI-generated pornographic content on social media. He expressed his conflict in advancing internet access while witnessing its misuse in criminal activities and the spread of misinformation, such as the slanderous claim regarding students singing the National Anthem in Chinese, which misrepresented a performance of Perak’s state anthem and drew criticism from the Perak Palace.