Kuala Rajang, Tanjung Manis proposed as connectivity mode for central Sarawak - Annuar Musa

TANJUNG MANIS (Sarawak), Nov 27 -- The Kuala Rajang and Tanjung Manis area here has been proposed as a key node for connectivity in Sarawak’s central region because of its strategic location as the central gateway, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

Annuar said he himself mooted this idea to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) as the area was enjoying rapid economic growth and has an industrial centre, a port and deep-sea fisheries centre.

“In terms of locality, it is (Kuala Rajang and Tanjung Manis) strategic, so high connectivity including 5G is necessary to make it Sarawak’s window to the outside world, especially in fields related to logistics.

“So Tanjung Manis will be given priority, and Kuala Rajang I hope we can look at it closely. I have informed MCMC to look into the overall connectivity of Kuala Rajang,” he told reporters after handing over Keluarga Malaysia Youth Package to about 20 recipients here.

Annuar is on a two-day Strategic Communication Tour of Tanjung Manis and Sarikei beginning today. Also present was incumbent Kuala Rajang state assemblyman Datuk Len Talif Salleh.

Annuar said of the seven new telecommunications towers planned for Tanjung Manis, one has been completed and the rest are under implementation, while 10 other towers have been identified for upgrading.

“If there is a need to build more towers to turn Kuala Rajang into the main connectivity centre in central Sarawak, we will give the appropriate allocations,” he added.

The development of Tanjung Manis began with the Tanjung Manis Timber Processing Zone in 1990, followed by the Deep-sea Fisheries Port Complex in 2004, Shipping Building Industrial Area in 2007, Palm Oil Industry Cluster and Tanjung Manis Halal Hub in 2009.

These developments were rebranded as the Tanjung Manis Economic Growth Area (T-MEGA) in 2018 as a strategic move to boost economic growth in the area.

-- BERNAMA