PARLIAMENT Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Jailani Johari has passed the buck on 1Bestari's shortfalls to former education minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

When asked by Azeez Abdul Rahim (BN-Baling) to address complaints that the internet service provided under 1Bestari to students and teachers was slower than promised, Jailani simply said the project was not under his ministry.

"The 1Bestari program is not under this ministry. This is a national project spearheaded by the former education minister," he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

This answer, however, angered Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan).

"Don't say this is the former minister's (responsibility). This is a government project, not just the former minister’s," he said irately.

However, Jailani did not respond to this.

1Bestari is a joint venture between the government and internet service provider YTL to give 4G internet access to students and teachers nationwide.

It was introduced two years ago when Muhyiddin was still the deputy prime minister with the education minister's portfolio.

Meanwhile, Abdul Ghapur ( photo ) also railed on the lack of internet access in the rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak.

"If there's not enough access in the Peninsula, then Sabah and Sarawak won't get it for 100 years," he declared.

Jailani however denied that there was insufficient infrastructure.

"It doesn't arise that there's no service by the service providers. If the people want to surf using high speed broadband, then they need only subscribe to it," the deputy minister said in response.