Johor bahru: The manifesto of Pakatan Harapan (PH) for the Johor State Election, which promises gigabit internet access and artificial intelligence (AI) for all schools in Johor by 2030, is seen as aligning with the ongoing efforts of the Communications Ministry to strengthen internet access, particularly in rural areas.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching stated that the objective could be achieved through close synergy involving various stakeholders, including both the state and federal governments. "I feel that this is a good collaboration between the Communications Ministry, the Education Ministry, and the state government. So, I believe that with good cooperation among all three parties, it (the proposal) can be carried out," she told reporters after attending 'Ceramah Harapan' here today.
When asked about the ministry's role in making the proposal a reality, Teo mentioned several existing initiatives that had already been rolled out to bridge the digital divide at rural educational institutions, including the Point of Presence (PoP) programme. The ministry is committed to ensuring digital facilities in remote schools continue to be upgraded through long-established high-impact programmes. "In fact, our ministry already has the PoP project, where we help schools in rural and remote locations so that they have internet access with speeds of no less than 100 Mbps. So, that programme has been implemented for quite some time," she said.
PH today unveiled its "Johor for All" manifesto, outlining 10 key pledges covering healthcare, housing, entrepreneurship, education, agriculture, transport, and employment. Among the key promises are targeting 100 percent of schools in Johor to have gigabit internet access and AI and robotics laboratories in all districts by 2030, with the involvement of 50,000 students annually.
In addition, digital libraries and modern learning centres will be established in every district through strategic cooperation between schools, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, higher education institutions (IPTs), and industry. Polling is on July 11, with early voting fixed for July 7.