MCMC, Selangor govt sign MoU as state pushes smart city agenda

The agreement between the country's internet regulator and state government will see faster Wi-Fi and wider 5G coverage for Selangor residents.

Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, and his son, the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah, at the signing of the MoU between MCMC and the state government. Also present were (from left) state secretary Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin and menteri besar Amirudin Shari as well as communications minister Fahmi Fadzil and MCMC chairman Salim Fateh Din.

PETALING JAYA:

 Selangor residents can expect faster public Wi-Fi and wider 5G coverage following an agreement signed between the state government and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

In a statement, the country’s internet regulator said the faster public Wi-Fi and wider 5G coverage were among the initiatives to be implemented as Selangor pushes its “smart city” agenda.

Other initiatives include a wider fibre optic network and the installation of “smart poles” to ensure better coverage, traffic management and flood mitigation.

“In a bid to support these initiatives, the allocation will be increased to RM450 million from the initial budget of RM350 million, as requested by the Selangor government,” MCMC said.

It said the initiatives would be monitored by the Selangor Integrated & Intelligent Operations Centre (SIIOC).

Earlier today, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Selangor government and MCMC.

The Selangor government was represented by state secretary Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin, while MCMC was represented by its chairman Salim Fateh Din.

On hand to witness the signing was the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah, communications minister Fahmi Fadzil and menteri besar Amirudin Shari.

Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil speaking at the signing of the MoU between MCMC and the Selangor government.

MCMC went on to say that the collaboration between the commission and the state government, highlighted Putrajaya’s commitment to ensure the latest technology such as 5G and artificial intelligence would benefit the public.

“The Selangor smart city initiative is not just focused on infrastructure development, but empowering the community via efficient, inclusive and safe digital services.”

A smart city is defined as an urban development which leverages information and communication technology (ICT) and the internet of things (IoT) to better manage a city.

Separately, Malay Mail reported Fahmi as saying that the collaboration was aligned with Selangor’s ambition to be a leading smart state and digital economy hub.

“With a population of about 7.4 million, Selangor has the highest number of residents in the country, which means any digital initiative implemented here carries significant impact,” he was quoted as saying. - FMT