MCMC hails no-one-left-behind economic stimulus package

• Govt committed to ensure no one from B40 & M40 group left behind
• NFCP to improve Malaysia’s digital connectivity, especially in rural areas

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) hails the US$57.7 billion (RM250 billion) people-centric Economic Stimulus Package (PRIHATIN), announced by Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on 27 March 2020, as the biggest economic stimulus package in the history of the nation.

As the key agency tasked with ensuring Malaysia has a world-class telco and internet service, the MCMC highlights specific facets of PRIHATIN that comes under its purview.

It notes that several packages will be offered in collaboration with various telecommunications companies (telcos), including efforts to improve telecommunications network and free Internet offerings, that are collectively worth US$230 million (RM1 billion).

The MCMC highlights that the Government is committed to ensure that no one is left behind, especially from the B40 and M40 income groups, to benefit from the stimulus package.

Among the initiatives offered is free Internet with a value of RM600 million from 1 April 2020 until the end of the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.

[RM1 = US$0.23]

The initiatives include:

a) Celcom, Digi, Maxis, and U Mobile Postpaid and Prepaid customers will receive free high-speed internet of 1GB per day, to be used between 8am and 6pm. This will begin 1 April 2020 and will be in effect throughout the duration of MCO;

b) Free calls to important hotlines including Crisis Preparedness Response Centre (CPRC), National Operations Management Centre and Ministry of Health (MOH) state branches;

c) YTL Communications will offer free access to online learning resources through FrogAsia, 40GB free data on the YES 4G mobile network, as well as five (5) free 4G prepaid SIM cards from YES to parents of children in Government schools; and

d) On top of offering unlimited home and mobile plans, fixed broadband provider Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) is offering free 999GB LTE hotspot pass for unifi Mobile postpaid customers. Meanwhile, TIME dotcom Bhd is offering domestic voice calls for free and bill rebates worth RM240 to its subscribers who wish to upgrade their home broadband plans.

Telcos are also committed to invest an additional RM400 million until the second quarter of the year to increase network coverage and capacity to maintain a high and sustainable telecommunications network availability and quality.

This investment will also be used to upgrade capacity and improve coverage for critical locations including hospitals, government agencies, enforcement agencies and media centres. Both TM and TIME are giving priority to its efforts in order to ensure that the mobile operators’ backhaul infrastructure can be catered for.

In the meantime, the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) will continue to be implemented to improve the country’s digital connectivity, especially in rural areas. A sum of RM3 billion has been allocated by the government, through the MCMC as announced in the Economic Stimulus Package 1 on 27 February 2020 for the implementation of six projects under the NFCP (NFCP1-6) for the year 2020.

These projects will be fully funded through the Universal Service Provision (USP) Fund which is under the stewardship of MCMC.

Meanwhile, postal and delivery services play an integral role in supporting entrepreneurs to complete fulfilment through e-commerce platforms, apart from their usual services for all Malaysians. The key postal and courier companies are committed in providing the following additional services:

a) Courier delivery services not exceeding 1 kilogram at the cost of RM5, excluding tax on delivery services in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak;

b) The stated rates are only offered to users who are registered with digital portals of each postal and courier service provider. Online registration is imperative in order to improve entrepreneurial competence in managing deliveries as well as encouraging cashless transactions; and

c) The delivery service rate is valid for six months, from 15 April 2020 until 15 October 2020.

Postal and courier companies, as well as telcos have donated in the form of cash, system capacity and equipment to the GLC Disaster Relief Network (GDRN) worth RM8.75 million. The GDRN is administered by Yayasan Hasanah, which is a foundation under Khazanah Nasional Berhad for contribution to the Ministry of Health. The contribution list is as follows: