A significant milestone: Agreement Signing Ceremony between SACOFA and U Mobile on 5G mobile backhaul partnership held at SACOFA headquarters on Sept 11, 2025. Seated from left: Sulaiman and Wong. Standing from second left: Julaihi who witnesses the signing and Liwan.

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By Lian Cheng and Dayangku Hidayatul

KUCHING, Sept 11:  As of Q1 2025, Sarawak’s internet coverage stands at 90.2 per cent, while 5G coverage is at 63.8 per cent. 

Utility and Telecommunications Minister Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi disclosed this during the Agreement Signing Ceremony between SACOFA and U Mobile on 5G mobile backhaul partnership held at SACOFA headquarters today.

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The agreement was signed by SACOFA’s Managing Director Dato Sri Sulaiman Abdul Rahman Abdul Taib and U Mobile CEO Wong Heang Tuck, and was witnessed by Julaihi who is also Chairman of SACOFA. Also in attendance were Deputy Minister for Utility and Telecommunication (Telecommunication) Datuk Liwan Lagang and Director of SACOFA Mat Hassan Esa.

Julaihi said while progress in internet coverage has been made, the pace of rollout has not always kept pace with the needs of Sarawak’s growing digital economy.

“This collaboration aims to change that, accelerating momentum with the shared goal of achieving at least 80 per cent 5G coverage in the near term and ensuring our infrastructure ambitions are matched by on-the-ground execution.

“SACOFA’s extensive network with over 1,688 telecommunications towers and 11,000 km of fibre optic backbone offers the critical infrastructure needed to support operators and enterprises alike.

“U Mobile, as the newly appointed 5G network operator, brings the drive, capacity, and innovation to deliver meaningful 5G services throughout Sarawak,” said Julaihi.

To him, strategic partnerships like this play a crucial role in realising those ambitions by enabling high-capacity infrastructure, accelerating commercial deployment, and ensuring Sarawak remains at the forefront of the digital economy.

He said through this collaboration, SACOFA and U Mobile will leverage SACOFA’s robust infrastructure, which is ready to grow in tandem with U Mobile’s expansive 5G rollout strategy. It will also enhance high-speed mobile coverage and service reliability across Sarawak’s commercial and urban centres and strengthen 5G readiness to support industries, innovation hubs, and enterprise solutions.

Julaihi believed that the Signing Ceremony marked the beginning of a collaboration that will unlock commercial opportunities in private 5G networks, smart infrastructure, IoT-based solutions, and enterprise-grade connectivity, all of which are essential for Sarawak’s digital and economic advancement, in alignment with Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 and the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030.

“Today’s collaboration reflects that vision in action, using 5G as a catalyst for enterprise growth, service innovation, and industry advancement,” he said.  —DayakDaily

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