The Communications and Multimedia Ministry will draw out a comprehensive plan to build telecommunication towers to ease connectivity along the Pan-Borneo Highway.

Its minister Salleh Said Keruak said building telecommunication towers to boost connectivity would be a mega project undertaken by the government to ensure a strong catalyst to boost the economic activities in the region.

“At the ministry level, we will draft a comprehensive plan to build telecommunication towers to ensure those using the highway and areas along the highway will enjoy Internet connection, just like the cities,” Salleh said.

The ministry has yet to identify how many telecommunication towers need to be built because the construction of the highway is still in the early stages, he said after a meet-the people session at the Rumah Kubu resettlement in Nanga Tada, Kanowit.

Salleh (photo) said he had visited several areas in the state where people were experiencing problems with Internet connection and had directed his officers to find a solution to overcome such problems.

He said just like his visits to other parts of the state, his presence in Rumah Kubu, near Sibu today, was to brief the people about the state and federal government policies as well as Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's initiatives and policies.

The briefings are aimed at eliminating confusion or misunderstanding following slanderous accusations and lies spread by irresponsible parties to mislead the people for their political gain.

“We, as a responsible government, are working diligently to ensure peace and harmony in the country so that development programmes can progress smoothly, not only in the mainland but in Sabah and Sarawak as well,” Salleh said.

He urged the people in the state to continue supporting the BN so that the elected government could work closely with the federal government to fulfil the development agenda.

In his speech, Salleh urged the people to not waste their votes on independent or opposition candidates during the Sarawak election on May 7, because no independent candidate would be accepted by BN even if they won and therefore, the people would not be able to enjoy development in their constituency.

As for the opposition, Salleh said DAP and PKR were involved in their own battles for seats, even in Ngemah, where the BN candidate Alexander Vincent is being be challenged by Thomas Laja from PKR, Richard Lias from DAP and Independent candidate Dr Joseph Jawa Kendawang.

- Bernama