Kota Belud to be benchmark and model for district development in Sabah

KOTA BELUD: The Kota Belud Smart Community initiative adopted by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will turn the district into the benchmark and model for development based on the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for the other districts in Sabah.
The initiative, launched by Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak (pix), outlined six core programs namely the enhancement of communications infrastructure, the development of applications and contents, the development of the entrepreneurship and tourism industry, internet centres, improvement in the postal services, and security and river water level monitoring system.
Under the communications infrastructure enhancement program, works on improving infrastructure for broadband services and access to the 2G and 3G coverage and the Long Term Evolution (LTE) were being carried out and by the first quarter of 2016, the local community's access to the 2G services had reached 86% while 3G and LTE had reached 75.4% and 6.1% respectively.
"With the expansion of the 2G and 3G coverage which had exceeded 75%, Kota Belud residents are enjoying broadband services and by the end of 2016, the 2G and 3G coverage will be widened to 90% for inhabited areas," said Salleh when launching the initiative, here today.
At the event, Salleh also officiated the Kota Belud Branch of the Sabah State Library and the 1Malaysia Internet Centre at the library building. Also present were MCMC Chairman Datuk Seri Dr Halim Shafie and Sabah Community Development and Consumerism Minister Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid.
Salleh said under the Sub-Urban Broad Band (SUBB) project of the initiative, four Internet Centres had already been built in Kota Belud namely in Kampung Rampayan Laut, Suang Panggor, Tamu Darat and the latest, Pekan Kota Belud internet centre.
Salleh said Kota Belud, particularly in the town area, now no longer enjoyed only 2G and 3G coverage but also LTE and the government would endeavour to continue efforts to improve the coverage facilities by building a new tower and the installation of transmitters as well as extending the fiber network to ensure quality service.
He said one of the sectors that would enjoy the spillover from the initiative would be the tourism sector, including the tourism activities in Pulau Mantanani, which is one of the resort islands that is popular among local and foreign tourists.
He said various handicrafts and tour packages could now be marketed using the internet by creating internet services at the 1Malaysia Internet Centre and mobile applications created that enabled local residents to enjoy additional income.
"Through the efforts of the MCMC and the private sector, an emergency VHF radio network system has been developed. The Security and River Water Level Monitoring System involving the installation of sensors on several rivers and 12 units of closed-circuit TV (CCTV) around Kota Belud would enable the flood situation to be monitored directly by the authorities," he said.
On the installation of Wifi facilities for residents and visitors in the Kota Kinabalu City area, Salleh said it would be implemented as soon as the slight technical problem that had occurred was resolved. — Bernama