Selangor: Selangor is aiming to achieve 100 per cent 5G network coverage in the state’s populated areas by early 2026, as announced by Dr. Mohammad Fahmi Ngah, the state executive councillor for Islamic Religious Affairs and Cultural Innovation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the delay in achieving full coverage this year was due to the launch of a new 5G network by U Mobile Sdn Bhd. Citing data from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Mohammad Fahmi noted that Selangor had reached 96.9 per cent 5G coverage by the end of August.
Dr. Fahmi explained that initially, Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) was the sole provider of the 5G infrastructure. The introduction of a second provider has necessitated coordination and negotiations between U Mobile and DNB to avoid redundancy in development costs and coverage areas. He also mentioned that resolving issues concerning the ownership of new telecommunication tower sites will take additional time, affecting the timeline for achieving full 5G coverage.
Today, Selangor launched its flagship IoT-Enabled Industrial Parks (IEIP) programme, a strategic initiative aimed at transforming the state’s industrial landscape into a future-ready and sustainable ecosystem. This initiative is designed to reinforce Selangor’s status as Malaysia’s leading industrial and digital hub.
In a joint statement, Smartsel Sdn Bhd and Invest Selangor highlighted that the launch marks a significant milestone in Selangor’s broader digital and economic transformation framework. The IEIP programme provides a structured blueprint identifying 17 key industrial parks in Selangor, with 70 per cent of them assessed as ready to transition into more advanced IoT-enabled development stages.
The industrial parks will be equipped with Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI) systems, and intelligent utility infrastructure to support high-value industries and enable sustainable automated operations.
Smartsel, a wholly owned subsidiary and the digital infrastructure arm of Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated, is spearheading this digital transformation effort.
Dr. Fahmi also emphasized the state government’s intention to attract industrial players that heavily utilise automation and robotics to ensure the success of the IEIP programme. He stressed the importance of faster communication technology, such as 5G, to facilitate seamless interaction among factory robots and minimize the risk of hacking.
Reflecting on the Covid-19 outbreak, Dr. Fahmi noted that factories relying on human labor faced closures and production halts, impacting Selangor’s economic productivity. He pointed out that factories equipped with robots could operate continuously without interruption.