IRDA AND TM SIGN MOU TO APPOINT TM AS THE PREFERRED TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDER FOR ISKANDAR MALAYSIA

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) and Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to appoint TM as the preferred telecommunications provider for the residential and business premises of Iskandar Malaysia, including Nusajaya.

The MOU was signed by Dato’ Ikmal Hijaz Hashim, Chief Executive Officer of IRDA while TM was represented by Dato’ Zamzamzairani Mohd Isa, Group Chief Executive Officer. YAB Dato’ Haji Abdul Ghani Othman, the Menteri Besar Johor witnessed the signing.

Dato’ Abdul Ghani, who is also IRDA Malaysia Co Chairman said the timing for the signing was very appropriate as TM is investing RM1.9 Billion in implementing the telecommunications infrastructure towards equipping Iskandar Malaysia especially with broadband infrastructure.

“I am informed as well that the telecommunications infrastructure will cover at least 718,000 premises comprising both residential premises and commercial development. Not only will this be a huge IT boost for Iskandar Malaysia, the trickle economic effect of speed and efficiency will also further boost the economy,” he added.

Dato’ Ikmal said Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is an important component to propel Iskandar Malaysia towards becoming a strong and sustainable metropolis of international standing and hence welcomed TM’s assistance in providing broadband services to strategically develop Iskandar Malaysia into a world-class ICT infrastructure.

“We need Iskandar Malaysia to have a leading and best ICT infrastructure, not only for the investors but more importantly we see this as an advantage for the Johor business community and its citizens. With this infrastructure in place, we can achieve more as a community and as an economy,” said Dato’ Ikmal.

Under the terms of the MOU, TM will assist Iskandar Malaysia to attain its goal to be a sustainable economic region of international standing by deploying telecommunications infrastructure particularly broadband infrastructure backbone, to cater for the residential premises and commercial development. Some of these areas include Nusajaya, Western Gate Development, JB City Centre, East Gate Development and Senai – Skudai.

“It’s no denying that modern businesses will benefit greatly from high speed connectivity that will allow sophisticated ICT applications to be implemented. To make sure of this, the infrastructure that TM will deploy within the Iskandar Malaysia region will be supported by our extensive network whether in the last-mile, national backhaul or international link,” said Dato’ Zamzamzairani.

He added that companies operating in the Iskandar Malaysia will be assured of Speed, Reach and Reliability. “These are what they will get from the telecommunications infrastructure in the region. Firstly, fast connectivity is assured with connection speeds of up to 100Mbps for homes and 1Gbps for businesses. Secondly, Reach means we will ensure extensive coverage of broadband network throughout Iskandar Malaysia. It also means that users can bank on our nationwide and worldwide network of connectivity that will essentially bring the world to them, so to speak. And thirdly, reliability because users in Iskandar Malaysia will enjoy exceptional Service Level Guarantee that will set a new standard in the provisioning and maintenance of telecommunication services in the region.”

With the sophisticated infrastructure, companies in the Iskandar Malaysia region will benefit from TM’s Metro Ethernet or, Metro.e, which offers connectivity of up to 1Gbps. It allows companies to upgrade to a higher bandwidth without the costs of getting and setting up new equipment or additional training on a different networking technology. In addition, users in the region will also enjoy services such as International Private Leased Circuit or IPLC, Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network or IPVPN, and other broadband services for business as well as for home.

“At the end of the day, by supporting IRDA’s efforts, we want to help enable businesses to flourish here in this important economic zone. It goes without saying that the role TM plays will be crucial and we do not take this responsibility lightly,” concluded Dato’ Zamzamzairani.

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About IRDA

The Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) was established by a Federal Act of Parliament – IRDA Act 2007 (Act 664) and is a single authority or single reference point for promotions, approvals, implementations and regulations, aspires to carry best practices benchmarked against world standards.

IRDA has the statutory objective of realising the vision and objectives of Iskandar, i.e. to be a strong and sustainable metropolis of international standing.

IRDA’s Iskandar Service Centre can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-88-3010 or +607-218 3010, fax +607-218 3111 or email enquiries@irda.com.my

About TM

Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), Malaysia’s leading integrated information and communications group, offers a comprehensive range of communication services and solutions in broadband, data and fixed-line. As a market leader in the broadband and fixed-line businesses, TM is driven to deliver value to its stakeholders in a highly competitive environment. The Group places emphasis on continuing customer service quality enhancements and innovations.

With its extensive global connectivity, TM is poised to position Malaysia as a regional Internet hub and digital gateway for South-East Asia. In line with this, TM is evolving into a Next Generation Network service provider enabling the Group to enhance its efficiency and productivity while providing enriched products and services.

On the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) front, the Group has always been a major corporate contributor towards responsible activities in the belief that these practices are a fundamental tenet of good corporate governance. The Group promotes 3 major platforms i.e. education, sports development and community/nation-building. Under education, TM has spent some RM800 million to develop Multimedia University into one of the top universities in Malaysia with more than 20,000 students. TM has also provided scholarships to over 10,000 graduates pursuing academic programmes locally and overseas. On the sports front, TM is actively contributing towards the upliftment of football at all levels while under the community/nation-building platform, the Group contributes towards causes that bring value to the community and nation at large.

For further information on TM, visit www.tm.com.my.

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