KOTA KINABALU, Jan 12 (Bernama) -- The Sabah state government, through the State Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (KPSTI), is committed to strengthening cooperation with the Ministry of Communications to ensure the comprehensive implementation of education digitalisation and youth digital safety initiatives.
Its minister, Datuk James Ratib, said the collaboration is crucial as Sabah’s education and innovation sectors are heavily dependent on stable and high-quality communications infrastructure, particularly for schools in rural, interior and island areas.
Given the state’s vast geographical challenges, he said Sabah has proposed that schools be prioritised as key nodes under the implementation of Phase 2 of the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA), including the provision of direct fibre optic connections to school premises and the expansion of satellite-based connectivity for hard-to-reach locations.
“KPSTI is also ready to facilitate land acquisition and local authority approvals to expedite the rollout of digital infrastructure projects in Sabah,” he said in a statement here today.
Earlier today, he paid a courtesy call on Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil in Putrajaya.
James said his discussions with Fahmi also included a proposal to expand the use of the Universal Service Provision (USP) Fund to support the digital learning ecosystem in schools, including the establishment of Digital Smart Labs in selected institutions to enhance STEM, TVET, basic artificial intelligence and cybersecurity education.
He said they also discussed digital safety issues, including a proposal to limit mobile phone usage among teenagers below the age of 16 to curb online sexual crimes and pedophilia.
James said a formal cooperation framework involving the Ministry of Communications, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), KPSTI and the Sabah State Education Department should be established to ensure a whole-of-government approach.
He also expressed appreciation to the federal government for allocating more than RM2 billion under the 2026 Budget to strengthen digital infrastructure in Sabah.
-- BERNAMA
