Perak Forms State Network Integrity & Security Committee To Handle Cable Theft Issues

IPOH, May 25 (Bernama) -- The Perak State Government has established the Perak State Network Integrity and Security Committee to strengthen cooperation with agencies to address the issue of cable theft, open manholes and vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure.

State Communications, Multimedia and NGO Committee chairman Mohd Azlan Helmi said the committee, which was established on May 12, will coordinate enforcement, monitoring and preventive actions related to the problem.

“We view seriously the increase in cases of cable theft, open manholes and vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure which have a direct impact on public safety and the stability of the communications network in Perak.

“The committee involves the cooperation of the Perak State Legal Advisor's Office, the State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN), the Local Government Division of the Perak State Secretary's Office, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), police, Telekom Malaysia (TM) and telecommunications service providers,” he said.

He said this at a press conference which was also attended by Perak MCMC director Mohd Irwan Mohamed, at the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building, here, today.

Azlan said that based on TM's latest data until March this year, a total of 377 open manholes had been recorded, an increase of 68 per cent compared to the same period the previous year.

He said that his party believed that this significant increase trend was believed to be driven by the high market value of copper, which led to underground cable theft and vandalism of telecommunications facilities in the state.

Therefore, to ensure that the matter could be dealt with more effectively, the state government would use stricter legal provisions under Section 235 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

"Under this provision, it not only involves cable theft, but anyone found to be damaging, tampering with or sabotaging telecommunications infrastructure could also be subject to strict action according to the law," he said.

Apart from that, he said the public was also encouraged to channel information to the authorities through existing channels such as the TM helpline, police reports or the MCMC portal, including submitting evidence of closed-circuit camera (CCTV) recordings to facilitate prosecution of offenders.

-- BERNAMA