Slow Internet Result Of Your Own Stinginess, Communications And Multimedia Minister Says

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz (pic) has challenged the statement by Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, questioning whether Malaysians really preferred slower broadband packages.

"I read that there are a wide range of Internet speeds that Malaysians can choose from, and that 71% of Malaysian Internet users prefer the slower Streamyx broadband," said the former Cabinet minister in a Facebook post.

"Oh dear, really? And we want to be a developed economy by 2020, a first-world country which has to be innovation-driven? What and who were sampled or interviewed?" she said.

But Rafidah urged Putrajaya to continue looking at South Korea and Japan to learn from the advancements there.

The former international trade and industry minister also said investors wanted the fastest broadband speed possible, on par with that they were used to, adding that this also applied to Malaysians.

“Our own people want that too, especially those who recognise the benefits of the superfast facility."

"And our young who are ICT savvy, practically demand it."

themalaysianinsider.com

He pointed out that about 71% of Malaysian Internet users prefer the slower Streamyx broadband package that offered speeds of between 384 Kbps and 1 Mbps.

Salleh said in his blog: “Even though higher broadband speeds are available, the majority of customers subscribe to the cheaper and thus slower packages."

therakyatpost.com

Noting several countries including Singapore and Thailand have Internet speed range of up to 5Mbps, Salleh said Malaysia could also increase the Internet speed to a similar level, and force Malaysians to buy the higher-speed package.

“But that would mean the cost would be higher as well and Internet usage will be available to only those who can afford to pay the higher cost. So in the end it all boils down to affordability and Malaysia offers affordable Internet to those who want it and higher speed Internet for whom money is not a problem,” he said.

freemalaysiatoday.com

"We want to ensure that by 2020, at least 95 percent of Malaysians will have access to the Internet."

"And we also want to ensure that at least 50 percent of the urban areas and 20 percent of the rural areas have broadband speeds of up to 100 Mbps."

malaysiakini.com

The report, released by content delivery network services firm Akamai Technologies Inc, listed Malaysia in 70th place worldwide with an average Internet speed of 5.0 megabits per second (Mbps).

The country registered a 17 per cent year-on-year improvement to broadband speed, but still left it five ranks below Sri Lanka which registered a 50 per cent year-on-year improvement to bump up its average speed to 5.3 Mbps.

Northern neighbours Thailand ranked 42nd overall with average connection speeds of 8.6 per cent.

The top-three countries on the global ranking are all from Asia, with South Korea topping the list with an average connectivity speed of 23.1 Mbps.

themalaymailonline.com