BUTTERWORTH, Oct 17 (Bernama)– The Communications Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will study the feasibility of expanding telecommunications coverage metrics, particularly for 5G, to include key economic areas such as ports, railway lines and highways.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said the existing Coverage of Populated Areas (CoPA) metric needed to be reviewed to account for connectivity requirements in areas without residents but which support significant economic activities.
He said locations such as ports were important economic hubs that required reliable connectivity, despite not having permanent residential populations.
“CoPA is frequently used by telecommunications companies and international bodies to refer to connectivity in populated areas. However, when discussing 5G access, areas such as ports may have no residents but serve as hubs for significant economic activities,” he said.
Fahmi said Malaysia would also raise the matter at international forums, including the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) meeting in Doha in November, to explore extending 5G and future technologies beyond populated areas.
He was speaking to reporters after officiating the launch of the Penang Port Private 5G initiative at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) here today.
The initiative makes Penang Port the first port in Malaysia to adopt a private 5G network through a collaboration between Altel Communications Sdn Bhd and Penang Port.
Also present were Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo, Communications Ministry Deputy Secretary-General (Telecommunications Infrastructure) V. Mano and MCMC Managing Director Abdul Karim Fakir Ali.
Fahmi said reliable connectivity was essential for industrial operations and would help ensure telecommunications infrastructure was not concentrated solely in populated areas.
He added that private 5G networks had the potential to benefit other sectors, particularly manufacturing and logistics, including multinational companies operating in Malaysia.
The technology provides high-capacity connectivity that enables multiple devices to operate simultaneously, supporting machinery and equipment requiring precision and reliable communication.
Fahmi, who is also MADANI Government spokesman, said the ministry would prepare a Cabinet memorandum on the proposal and work with the Transport Ministry to expand telecommunications coverage, including the deployment of 5G at other ports nationwide.
He said the ministry and MCMC had previously worked with the Transport Ministry to address internet connectivity gaps along major railway routes operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB).
On the Penang Port initiative, Fahmi said private 5G networks offered dedicated communication channels for critical industrial operations, unlike conventional networks where users share network capacity.
He said adoption of the technology should also be encouraged among private-sector players, including manufacturers and oil palm plantation operators, to improve operational efficiency and workplace safety.
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