KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor is aiming to achieve 100 per cent 5G network coverage in the state’s populated areas by early 2026.
State executive councillor for Islamic Religious Affairs and Cultural Innovation Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said 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 said Selangor had reached 96.9 per cent 5G coverage as of the end of August.
“Previously, only Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) provided the infrastructure to enable the 5G network; now there is a second provider,” he told reporters after launching the “IoT-Enabled Industrial Parks (IEIP)” programme.
Mohammad Fahmi explained that coordination and negotiations between U Mobile and DNB are necessary to avoid duplication of development costs and coverage areas.
He added that issues regarding the ownership of new telecommunication tower sites will also take additional time for resolution, affecting the 100 per cent 5G coverage target.
Selangor officially launched its flagship IEIP programme today as a strategic initiative designed to transform the state’s industrial landscape.
This programme aims to create a future-proof, intelligent, and sustainable ecosystem that strengthens Selangor’s position as Malaysia’s leading industrial and digital hub.
In a joint statement, Smartsel Sdn Bhd and Invest Selangor said the launch marked a significant milestone in Selangor’s broader digital and economic transformation framework.
The IEIP programme outlined a structured blueprint identifying 17 key industrial parks across Selangor.
Seventy per cent of these industrial parks have been assessed as ready to transition into intermediate or advanced IoT-enabled development stages.
“These 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,” the statement said.
Smartsel is a wholly owned subsidiary and the digital infrastructure arm of Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated.
Mohammad Fahmi said that the state government intends to attract industrial players that heavily utilise automation and robotics to make the IEIP programme a success.
He emphasised that faster communication technology, such as 5G, is essential to allow factory robots to interact with one another without interruption and to reduce the risk of hacking.
“As we saw before during the Covid-19 outbreak, factories that relied on human labour had to close, production stopped, and that affected Selangor’s economic productivity.
“If those factories used robots, they could operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week without interruption,” he added. – Bernama
