Gov’t flexes muscles on rural ICT services

Internet service providers (ISPs) and telecommunication companies (telcos) were taken to task by Energy, Communications and Multimedia Minister Dr Lim Keng Yaik yesterday for not providing services to rural areas. Lim was speaking to reporters after opening a regional conference on ‘French know-how in telecoms and ICT’ in Kuala Lumpur.

He said ‘many’ licences have been issued to telecommunication companies but that the services provided have not been satisfactory. He revealed that Internet uptake in Malaysia is alarmingly low coupled with the fact that the cellular phone penetration in the country is only at 46 percent.