ALOR SETAR: A total of 312 schools in Kedah will be fitted with fibre optic infrastructure to enable a more stable internet network for high-speed broadband access.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said the project under the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA) under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (K-KOMM) is expected to also benefit residents around the schools.

"These schools were selected based on the needs under JENDELA where most of them are in rural areas," he told Bernama after receiving a courtesy call from Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa at the Kedah Menteri Besar's official residence here today.

Muhammad Sanusi said K-KOMM would list the selected schools and submit them to the state for further action.

He also expressed hope that the fibre-optic installation can be implemented as soon as possible as Kedah was one of the states in dire need of wider and high-speed internet coverage.

"We are talking about digitisation but there is no line (internet coverage)...if the ministry can speed up this installation, it will be most helpful to expedite the development of Kedah," he said.

He also hoped that the Keluarga Malaysia Digital Economy Centre (PEDi) in the state could be upgraded and equipped with high-speed internet to benefit the villagers, especially small-time entrepreneurs who run businesses online.

-- BERNAMA