KUALA LUMPUR – Some 200,000 individuals have benefited from the government’s 5G Rahmah package initiative, which is aimed at bridging the digital divide among Malaysians, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Fahmi highlighted that 85,000 users were among those from the B40 income group.
“We see that the 5G Rahmah package is well-received by commercial users, but we are still working to improve it,” he said during a speech at the Aidilfitri open house he hosted in his parliamentary constituency, Lembah Pantai.
He said that the success of the package has led the government to look into offering similar deals for students of higher learning institutions.
“This is so that even the ‘mahasiswa’ (student) groups can enjoy 5G connectivity,” he said.
The Rahmah 5G Package, launched in August last year, introduces mobile devices that combine cutting-edge technology with affordability.
It aims to provide affordable access to advanced 5G technology by offering subsidies on mobile devices and postpaid plans to Malaysians.
The Rahmah 5G package is available for subscription to all Malaysian citizens, demonstrating the government’s commitment to ensuring digital access for Malaysians of all backgrounds.
However, a special highlight of the package is its focus on the bottom 40% income earners, or B40 group.
The first 100,000 customers who subscribe will receive a RM120 subsidy on the smartphone price.
This means that B40 customers can acquire a RM240 smartphone for only RM120.
Subscribers to the 5G Rahmah package are also entitled to postpaid plans as low as RM60 per month with a minimum of 60GB of data.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said that several significant and major announcements about the 5G network are expected to be made by the end of the month or early May.
He said he is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tomorrow, and among the matters to be discussed are measures to ensure a better adoption rate of 5G services.
He said the meeting would also involve Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din.
“InsyaAllah, soon, my hope is that towards the end of this month or early next month, we will have several significant and major announcements regarding the 5G network,” he said, as quoted by Bernama.
“I hope that, with the availability of this 5G service, people will benefit from it.”
Fahmi also mentioned that the New Industrial Master Plan shows that the digital technology sector will significantly contribute to the country’s economy. – April 21, 2024