MCMC to take MPs' phone, internet coverage issues in Parliament

 

PARLIAMENT | The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will be setting up a complaints counter in Parliament on March 6 and 7 for all parliamentarians to raise problems surrounding phone coverage and internet connectivity in their constituencies.

Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the government is aware of such complaints, including those raised by MPs in their debate on the royal address.

“That’s why, to all MPs, I would like to inform you that on March 6 and 7, I asked Parliament for permission to open a counter for MCMC to receive complaints from all MPs.

“(This is) for them to bring all their complaints and issues, so we can address them. It would be like a customer service day,” said Fahmi in his ministry's winding-up speech.

Fahmi was responding to Willie Mongin (Harapan-Puncak Borneo), Wee Jeck Seng (BN-Tanjung Piai) and Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai) who raised connectivity issues affecting their constituencies.

Willie had drawn comparisons between connections in his area to neighbouring Brunei and Fahmi conceded there can be a significant difference in terms of the quality of service.

"We don't have to go so far, even when I was talking to reporters just now at the Parliament lobby, the internet service was slow.

"So from the coverage point of view, there can be coverage but yet there are also other issues including bandwidth and in-building coverage," said Fahmi.

Further, Fahmi explained that among the measures already taken by MCMC to address the issue include consistent monitoring of service quality - particularly in areas with reported complaints.

He also said that the commission had audited 3,080 areas nationwide last year and issued 229 Commission Orders to service providers that had failed to comply with the Standard Mandatory Service Quality.

From the figure, Fahmi said upgrading work was carried out for 157 Commission Orders, 32 still under review, while civil action will be filed against companies that did not comply with 40 Commission Orders.

He added that MCMC will audit another 4,000 locations nationwide this year to ensure overall improvement in the quality of service provided. - Mkini