GUA MUSANG: Although more than three-quarters of the Nenggiri constituency here is forest and hilly terrain, mobile and fixed high-speed broadband internet coverage is widely available in most areas with high population density.
Checks by Bernama found that Bertam Baru, Bertam Lama, Limau Kasturi and Felda Perasu are among the populated areas that do not have problems accessing the internet via telephone using their subscriptions to telecommunication companies.
During a visit to an Orang Asli settlement in Kampung Kuala Lah, about 40 kilometres from Gua Musang town, it was found that several houses had internet access via a fixed broadband package.
Among those enjoying the benefits of the fibre optic infrastructure is the village’s Tok Batin, Ali Lateh.
According to him, several other houses there also subscribed to the fixed broadband internet package, which has been available for more than five years.
“In my house, I have been using wireless internet for four to five years. There is no issue with telephone signals, but internet access depends on the weather. The base station is not far from this settlement, about two kilometres away,” he told Bernama.
Nenggiri has 20,259 voters, who are eligible to cast their ballots in a by-election on Aug 17.
Nenggiri is located about 20 km from Gua Musang town and 175 km from Kota Bharu and covers 235,300 hectares, with 151,065 hectares or 70 per cent being forested areas.
While there are several settlements along Jalan Gua Musang-Jeli and Jalan Gua Musang-Kuala Krai, many Nenggiri residents, including the Orang Asli community, live in the highlands and interior.
Apart from Kampung Komuniti Kuala Lah, the Orang Asli community, who number 2,759 in total, also lives in five settlements in the interior of Nenggiri.
Bernama also checked out Orang Asli settlements here, including Pos Pulat, and found that they have telecommunications towers near populated areas. Pos Pulat is a 90-minute journey from Gus Musang town, which includes a long trek on logging trails.
Pos Pulat Orang Asli Village Security and Development Committee (JPKKOA) chairman Liman Ahong said there is internet access for the 353 villagers in the settlement but the line is unstable. He said this is among the problems the new state assemblyman needs to resolve.
Another resident, Rasyidi Seli, 30, concurs with him, saying they need more stable internet connections because each time there is disruption, villagers have to wait for repairs to be completed or go to another area to get access.
“The nearest place with full coverage is the dam construction area (Nenggiri Hydroelectric Project). But it takes half an hour to travel there from this village,“ he said.
Previously, the telecommunications issue had been raised by Barisan Nasional (BN) Nenggiri By-election deputy director Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim in the Kelantan State Assembly.
The Galas state assemblyman said several areas in Gua Musang, especially Orang Asli settlements in the Nenggiri constituency, are still relying on Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) using satellite technology.
However, he said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had undertaken various upgrading works to widen telecommunications coverage in Gus Musang despite the challenges faced.
“Gua Musang is a hilly area and there are caves which hinder direct coverage. This is why we need the services of MCMC to adjust the location of towers and this broadband network according to Gua Musang’s topography,“ he said.
The by-election is a straight fight between BN’s Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani, who is representing the Unity Government, and PAS candidate Mohd Rizwadi Ismail, who is contesting for Perikatan Nasional.
The seat was declared vacant after its assemblyman Mohd Azizi Abu Naim ceased to be a member of Bersatu on June 13.
