Melaka aims to build 1,000 shared fibre poles by year-end, covering 5,000 homes, benefiting 20,000 residents.
ALOR GAJAH: The Melaka government, through Koridor Utiliti Melaka (KUM) Sdn Bhd, aims to build 1,000 shared fibre poles across the state by the end of this year.
Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said the telecommunications infrastructure development was expected to cover more than 5,000 residential premises and benefit about 20,000 residents.
He said the shared fibre poles, the first of their kind in Malaysia, would position Melaka as the country’s pioneer in integrated telecommunications infrastructure development while strengthening the state’s digital transformation agenda in line with the Melaka Sayang Rakyat (MeSRa) aspiration.
“With the construction of these shared fibre poles, telecommunications service providers will no longer need to build their own poles. Instead, a single infrastructure can be shared through more efficient use of space and better planning. This initiative will also reduce the duplication of poles and cables while expediting fibre network expansion and minimising disruption to residents,” he told reporters at Taman Perling Impian, Simpang Ampat, here today, after officiating the launch of KUM’s Shared Fibre Pole project.
Melaka Public Works, Infrastructure, Public Amenities and Transport Committee chairman Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer and KUM chief executive officer Ismael Hamdan also attended.
Ab Rauf said the approach would not only transform the state’s telecommunications infrastructure landscape but also make Melaka the first state to introduce standard operating procedures or regulations for shared fibre poles.
He said the shared fibre poles had so far been installed at the new housing development of Taman Perling Impian, Simpang Ampat, as the pilot project. The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of August before becoming operational in the fourth quarter, and the infrastructure will benefit 315 residential premises involving an estimated 1,260 residents.
“I have been informed that the shared fibre poles will be used by four telecommunications service providers to install their respective fibre networks,” he said.
He said the shared fibre poles would not only be developed in new housing areas but would also be rolled out gradually in existing residential areas.
Meanwhile, he said 74 telecommunications towers were now fully operational in Melaka, while another 13 towers are at the coordination stage before being activated. Melaka had achieved 100% 4G coverage in populated areas, while 5G coverage had reached 89.9%.
