FACULTY OF SCIENCE ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY STUDIES

ENGLISH FOR CRITICAL ACADEMIC

READING (ELC501)

PORTFOLIO FORUM :

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES

LIVING IN A SMALL COUNTRY AND

COUNTRYSIDE

GROUP : TOSMA2A

PREPARED BY :

NURSYAHIRAH BINTI MOHD HATTA (2021643126)

WAN NURUL FAKHRIAH BINTI WAN HAMZAM (2021672728)
MUHAMMAD HASYIM BIN ABD MANAB (2020675786)
MUHAMMAD YASIR BIN ZAINUDDIN (2021251128)
MOHD HANIS AFIQ BIN SULAIMAN (2020640796)

PREPARED FOR :

MADAM MASLIZA BINTI MAT ZALI

SUBMISSION DATE :

21 JANUARY 2022
TABLE OF CONTENT

NO CONTENT PAGE NUMBER

1 Panelist 1

2 Time for discussion 1

3 Outline for forum discussion 2 - 10

4 List of Articles 11 - 26

5 References 27
1.0 PANELIST

NAME AS

MUHAMMAD HASYIM BIN ABD MANAB MODERATOR

NURSYAHIRAH BINTI MOHD HATTA 1ST PANEL

MUHAMMAD YASIR BIN ZAINUDDIN 2ND PANEL

WAN NURUL FAKHRIAH BINTI WAN 3RD PANEL

HAMZAM

MOHD HANIS AFIQ BIN SULAIMAN 4TH PANEL

2.0 TIMELINE FOR DISCUSSIONS

14th November 2021 (9-10 pm) : Delegation of article research duties

26th November 2021 (8.30-9.30 am) : Sitting together for research for information

by Google meet platform

27th November 2021 (2-4 pm) : Sitting together for research for information by

Google Meet platform

10th December 2021 (12-2 pm) : Discussion of outlining the forum discussion by Google Meet

platform

17th December 2021 (3-5 pm) : Discussion of counter-arguments and flow of forum

by Google Meet platform

31st December 2021 (11-1 pm) : Practice of forum discussion by Google Meet

Platform

7th January 2022 (4-6 pm) : Practice of forum discussion by Google Meet Platform

14th January 2022 (8-10:30 pm) : Final practice of forum discussion by Google Meet Platform

1
3.0 OUTLINE FOR FORUM DISCUSSION

TITLE: ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES LIVING IN A SMALL COUNTRY AND

COUNTRYSIDE

CLAIM PREMISES COUNTER ARGUMENT

Hasyim Welcoming the audience and
Moderator introduction of panelist

Introduction on small country

and countryside in Malaysia

Countryside means a rural

area

List of states that can be

considered have more rural
areas in Malaysia includes
Sarawak, Sabah, Perlis
Terengganu Perak Pahang
Kelantan

Hasyim Starting of discussion with

Moderator Advantages of living in small
country and countryside

First point that need to be

discussed is on health
aspect

Proceed to the 1st panel

Nursyahirah moving into the countryside Yasir

1st panel
can boost one’s physical and 2nd panel
Healthier lifestyle mental health
Sorry for interrupting Miss
Spending more time in Syahirah, but I am quite
nature is a great way to disagreeing wit h you. Yes, I
improve your health. know that health is the
aspect that you are focusing
Spending time in nature on living in such areas.I do

2
boosts the immune system, believe that there are several
increases vitality, calms the others factors that can be
nerves, and improves the considered disadvantages
mood. living in countryside such as
fewer job opportunities
emerging yourself in the lap
of nature is more beneficial
starting from enhancing the
power of the memory to
decrease the blood pressure.
Spending more time close to
nature not only improves
physical health but also
energize mental health.

organic food can do miracles

for your body and mind –
your immune system will get
stronger, your energy levels
will increase, your focus will
improve.

even those with less to

spend can easily purchase
high-quality foods for cleaner
diets.

Living in an urban
environment over-stimulates
two keys, and potentially
harmful, regions of the brain:
the areas that regulate
emotion and anxiety.

you are going to avoid some

of the increased risk factors
for these psychological

3
 ailments that are deeply
connected with city life, and
it’s a benefit of country living
worth considering.

Hasyim Thank you Syahirah for the

Moderator
points given

Yasir could you explain

further on what you have just
mentioned before?

Yasir Living in such small places Wan

2nd panel
only offers fewer jobs. More 3rd panel
Fewer Job Opportunities job offers in urban areas.
Sorry for interrupting Mr
Most of the work in rural Yasir.I am totally disagreeing
areas focuses on the with you because in
manufacturing and labor countryside there are a lot of
sectors. job opportunities in SME
sectors such as production
Job payment is less than keropok lekor at small
people who work in big cities. villages in Kemaman
According to the Malaysian Terengganu. I do have my
Department of Statistics, the own opinion about this
average wage rate in urban matter.
areas is 6.7% compared to
4.7% in rural areas.

Ex-Prime Minister Tun Dr.

Mahathir also said rural folk
migrated to urban areas to
secure employment and earn
better income. The meager
salary offered forced many to
move out of the countryside.

4
 The Malaysian Prime
Minister, Dato’ Sri Ismail
Sabri, also said that the
Rural Urbanization agenda
could be re-implemented to
remove rural areas from the
cocoon of poverty.

Economic activity and

employment opportunities
are still centered in the city,
while the villages remain
bleak.

Develop and transform into

centers of economic activity,
providing business and
employment opportunities in
line with the rising
educational standards of our
people

Hasyim Thank you Yasir for the

Moderator
information on job
low crime rates opportunities at the
countryside’s that you have
just mentioned before

I would like to share about

the crimes rates that
happened in the
countryside’s in Malaysia
during 2020

5
 Based on statistic provided
by Department of Statistic
Malaysia, seven states
recorded crime index ratio
below the national level in
2019 namely Sarawak
(214.6), Perlis (207.5), Perak
(195.8), Pahang (195.7),
Kelantan (188.2),
Terengganu (150.3) and
Sabah (143.5)

Proved that living in

countryside’s much safer

Wan, you have just

interrupted Mr. Yasir before,
and I do believe you have
some points to be shared to
the audience.

Wan Live in a small country and Hanis

3rd panel
countryside give cheap cost 4th panel
Cheap cost of living of living
Sorry for interrupting Wan, I
It also lowers cost of living do have my own opinion
because in rural areas there about this matter.
are not many dining options The point on living cost in
compared to the city, which rural areas is cheaper
causes people to prefer to compared to urban areas is
eat at home. not one of the main concerns
to this matter. What about
the lack of facilities such as
The value of land prices and the development of well-
house rentals in rural areas equipped hospital that exist
is cheaper as compared to in urban are in Selayang
urban ones because the rural Selangor? The rural areas

6
 population is smaller. only covered the health
facility through Clinic Desa
Food supply prices are and Clinic Kesihatan that is
cheaper and easily available not well equipped with
because most food supply modern technologies that
stocks, such as rice, fish, meets the requirement of
chicken, and vegetables, are local’s health at the
processed and supplied from meantime.
rural areas.

Food supply prices are

cheaper and easily available
because most food supply
stocks, such as rice, fish,
chicken, and vegetables, are
processed and supplied from
rural areas.
Hasyim Thank you Wan for your
Moderator
explanation on living cost in
countryside

It can be considered
important as the Government
also do take some serious
action on people’s welfare by
providing some financial aids
to decrease the people’s
financial burdens

Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia

is one of the examples that
we can related to this matter

Hanis, what would you like to

say and explain about the
facilities and infrastructures

7
 development in the rural
areas compared to urban
areas?
Hanis Thank you to our moderator Syahirah
4th panel
for letting me explain about 1st panel
Lack of facilities and disadvantages to living in a
infrastructure development
small country. My point is Sorry for interrupting Hanis, I
lack of facilities and would like to add some
infrastructure development. points on infrastructures
When we live in countryside development especially in
or small town, we cannot internet connectivity in rural
have a proper public areas compared to the urban
transport. In other way, areas
public transport is useless.

The second point, when

countryside lack of
development. We can’t do a
shopping because there
aren’t many shops. Facilities
about educational also aren’t
many. That can cause our
children doesn’t not receive a
good learning process in
their life.

My third point. road

conditions are at their worst.
This can be evidenced in
Sabah where rural areas with
less infrastructure
development have poor
roads for the main route to
the area.

That’s all my point. Thank

you.

8
Hasyim Thank you Hanis for your
Moderator
explanation on facilities and
infrastructures development
in rural areas compared to
urban areas

Syahirah, would you like to

add some points to add
based on the internet
connectivity at the rural
areas compared to the urban
areas.

Nursyahirah Just like water and electricity,

1st panel
internet access is now
Internet Connectivity regarded as a necessity.

In Malaysia, remote areas

such as the interiors of
Sabah and Sarawak, are still
very far behind on the road
to adequate internet
accessibility.

according to Federation of
Malaysian Consumers
Associations (Fomca) chief
executive officer Datuk Dr
Paul Selvaraj, Without the
internet, people’s access to
many needs such as
education is hampered
He also said said access to
the internet has never been
more crucial than now given
the restrictions on normal life

9
 brought about by the Covid-
19 pandemic.

The Malaysian Internet

Exchange (MyIX) estimated
that more than 70% of
middle-class families in the
Klang Valley are now
connected to the internet,
thanks to easy accessibility.
However, the coverage is not
always at its best.

Consumers Association
Penang president Mohideen
Abdul Kader shared similar
views with Fomca regarding
affordability and accessibility.

He said that Affordability and

access to the internet is of
utmost importance,
especially to the B40 group

Hasyim Thank you Syahirah for the

Moderator
information and explanation
on internet connectivity in
rural areas compared to the
urban areas

In the end of discussion, I do

believe that all the audiences
get a lot of information by
joining this discussion

I want to express my
gratitude to all the panelist to

10
share their own opinions
about the advantages and
disadvantages living in small
country and countryside’s

11
4.0 LIST OF ARTICLES

HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES

PROS AND CONS OF MOVING TO THE COUNTRY

By Jessica Ryan - December 16, 2019.

Healthier Lifestyle

It’s well known that moving into the countryside can boost one’s physical and mental health.

This comes as no surprise considering the numerous health benefits of living in the country:

Exposure to nature

Being outside in the open air relates to many of the benefits of country living. And while you

don’t have to go out to the country to find some sunshine and trees, head out to rural land and

you’ll definitely find more of it than you will in the cities and the ‘burbs. As for specific benefits,

immersing yourself in a natural environment is good for everything from improving your short-

term memory to lowering your blood pressure. It might even make you more creative.

Spending more time in nature is a great way to improve your health, and when you’re living the

country life, you don’t have to go very far to reap the benefits. Natural paradise can be found

right outside of your door, instead of a car or bus ride away.

Closeness to nature – When living in the county, you’ll be surrounded by nature as soon as

you step out of the door. Spending time in nature boosts the immune system, increases vitality,

calms the nerves, and improves the mood. What’s more, living so close to nature provides

various opportunities for exciting outdoor activities which further contribute to better physical

and mental health.

Closer to Nature: In the countryside, you can find direct sunlight and abundance of green

trees. Thus, emerging yourself in the lap of nature is more beneficial starting from enhancing

the power of the memory to decrease the blood pressure. Spending more time close to nature

not only improves physical health but also energize mental health.

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Easier access to organic food – Out in the countryside, there are plenty of farms where you

can buy fresh fruits and vegetable – as well as milk, eggs, and even meat – right from the

source (not to mention that there is usually enough land to start growing your own food, if you

want to). Eating quality, organic food can do miracles for your body and mind – your immune

system will get stronger, your energy levels will increase, your focus will improve, etc.

6 Proven Benefits of Country Living

By Laura Mueller - September 18, 2018.

Easy access to organic food

Out in my own country paradise, I don’t have a Whole Foods within 30 miles of me, but I do

have multiple farms, all within a ten-minute drive, where I can buy fresh eggs, fruits, and

veggies right from the source. The type of food that our bodies really need is in abundance out

in the country, as is available land if you want to start growing your own.

In the city, access to unprocessed, healthy foods is not quite so extensive. Urban food deserts

are especially problematic in low-income areas, where small markets and gas station snack

bars often stand in for fancy organic grocery stores. In the country, even those with less to

spend can easily purchase high-quality foods for cleaner diets. There are many pros to eating

organic foods, chief among them less exposure to the harmful pesticides used to produce food

on a mass level.

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Top advantages of living in countryside

By Priyanki Baruah - September 19, 2019.

Better psychological health

Your brain actually functions differently in the country. Living in an urban environment over-

stimulates two keys, and potentially harmful, regions of the brain: the areas that regulate

emotion and anxiety. Scientists believe this is the reason they see higher rates of mental health

problems in cities than non-urban areas. In the country, the brain is less likely to experience

this kind of overstimulation. The benefits? A lower risk of anxiety disorders and mood

disorders. There is also research showing that city living increases schizophrenia risk, likely

due to unknown environmental factors that impact developing brains.

You’re not going to be able to completely prevent a mood disorder or mental illness just

because you live in the country, nor are you guaranteed to have less stress in your life simply

because you’re out of the city. But you are going to avoid some of the increased risk factors for

these psychological ailments that are deeply connected with city life, and it’s a benefit of

country living worth considering.

Better mental Health: Living in the city can stimulate two harmful and key regions of the brain

that regulates anxiety and emotion. According to scientists, that is the reason that there are

high rates of psychological problems in the city people tan the countryside. In rural areas, the

brain is less likely to get any such trouble resulting in a lesser number of mood and anxiety

disorders. Research also shows that people living in the city are showing increasing chances of

schizophrenia risk due to the increasing amount of pollution. The people in the country suffer

from less stress due to less competition in the working field.

Less stress – It is the stress of big city living that causes higher rates of mental health

problems. When living in the country, you’ll be more relaxed, so the risk of anxiety disorders

14
and mood disorders will be much smaller, and your psychological health will be better.

Life is slower and less demanding in the countryside – there are no hectic schedules, no urgent

meetings, no big expectations, no social pressure, etc. You can slow down, shake off your

anxieties, and focus on the things that really matter to you.

The peace and quiet of the countryside will work wonders for your nerves and your mental

state. You’ll be calmer and more positive – your mood will improve and so will your

concentration, your productivity, and your creativity.

In addition to the slower pace of life, lighter traffic in the country also contributes to decreased

stress levels:

You will be able to drive greater distance in less time (as there will be fewer traffic lights and no

traffic jams), won’t waste time in search of vacant parking places, and will avoid annoying and

frustrating delays.

You will feel more relaxed on the road as the risk of traffic accidents will be much smaller.

Less traffic means less pollution and less noise.

All this helps reduce stress, boost well-being, and foster positivity.

Healthier New-borns and Pregnancies: It is seen in research that a pregnant woman who

lives near highways or main roads tends to go into labor earlier due to the air pollution from the

truck and cars. In 2011, according to a study by Adrian G. Batnett, it is seen that the pregnancy

of the city women was shortened by 4.4% due to increased exposure to traffic resulting in

negative outcomes in the new-borns. This risk is almost nil in the case of countryside women

as they enjoy their pregnancy with fresh air, a cleaner environment, and soundless sleep.

15
FEWER JOB OPPORTUNITIES

KUALA LUMPUR: The rise of rural-urban migration and the people’s limited self-development

skills have contributed to the growing population of urban poor in the country.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said with growing urbanisation all over the world,

rural folk migrated to urban areas to secure employment and earn a better income.

“This actually reflects rural poverty. Because of rural poverty, rural folk migrate to the cities.

“In some occasions, they (rural folks) would have migrated to the cities without having proper

qualifications and (employment) prospects.

Many did not allow themselves to be trained, which resulted in them earning low income (after

migrating to the cities).

“They would then constitute the urban poor,” Dr Mahathir said at the 2019 International Day for

the Eradication of Poverty Forum: Inclusive Development and Sejahtera in The New Malaysia

here today.

To address this problem, he said, the government could assist by providing training to help

rural folk who migrate to urban areas develop new skills and secure employment with better

incomes.

He also urged more people to venture into entrepreneurship to elevate their socio-economic

status.

“They have to learn how to do business, even if it is in small scale or conducted in small and

medium industry, to earn more money.

16
“We also noticed a trend where certain communities in Malaysia do not have enough

(knowledge and skills) in order to grow their business.

“They are stagnant (in what they are doing). Once they have achieved enough money to

support their daily needs, they do not make any effort to expand their business.

“We have to educate them on the need to expand their businesses so that they will come out of

urban poverty.”

Dr Mahathir stressed that a country could not consider itself developed if some segments of

the society had no access to basic amenities and jobs to provide them with sufficient incomes.

Similarly, he said any developed country should not have any members of its population

struggling on a daily basis to eke out a living, with their children facing malnutrition.

“If we are unable to immediately address shortfalls of the Sustainable Development Goals

which we hope to attain, Malaysia’s aspiration to join the ranks of the developed nations will be

compromised.”

Dr Mahathir said the country’s newly launched economic model, the Shared Prosperity Vision,

was formulated to address these concerns.

“It is for these reasons that we launched Malaysia’s new economic model – the “Shared

Prosperity Vision” which we believe will enable all Malaysians to continuously experience

sustainable and equitable growth at all levels of society regardless of race, class or location.

“The aim of this model is to create an economy that is better structured and progressive,

premised on high values, knowledge and active participation from all members of the

Malaysian society.”

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CHEAP COST OF LIVING

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chief Tan Sri

Othman Hashim has conceded that Malaysians do face a rising cost of living, after a United

Nations (UN) rights expert said the country’s poverty rate is grossly underreported.

However, the newly appointed commission chief said this fact only realistically applies to urban

areas, particularly the capital city of Kuala Lumpur

“If you look at rural areas like Kedah, there is a vast difference, a big gap between the cost of

living. Maybe in Kuala Lumpur you need RM100 a day, you don’t need that much in the rural

areas,” he told Malay Mail in a recent interview.

“But the issue of the rising cost of living is of concern to the low-income group and the

government should be looking at it very closely, but of course, the government has its

strategies and programmes for the B40.” B40 refers to the bottom 40 per cent or the lowest-

earning households in Malaysia.

“Maybe their programme for the B40 can take care of the issues and this is an opportunity for

the government to do more to alleviate the hardship of the B40 and those who earn RM3,000

and below — looking at the cost of living in Kuala Lumpur is high,” Othman added. UN special

rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Phillip Alston said last week that Malaysia’s

actual poverty rate could range from 15 to 20 per cent, despite official government data in 2016

placing it only at 0.4 per cent of households living below the poverty line.Alston said this is due

to the country’s unrealistic and outdated poverty line measurement of RM980 for a household

of four per month, that was mainly utilised in the 1970s.

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In response, Othman said Alston should clarify if the data he quoted on Malaysia’s poverty

level refers to absolute poverty or relative poverty. Othman said the definition mentioned by

Alston could refer to Malaysia’s Poverty Line Index, or the absolute poverty line, as explained

by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.

“I do not know whether he was talking more about absolute poverty or relative poverty because

the figure that he quoted, it’s absolute poverty as explained by Minister Azmin how the

calculation was done,” he said.“But this special rapporteur on extreme poverty, I don’t know

what he actually meant when he said it wasn’t correct and that he quoted certain studies but he

didn’t quote the figure.

“Then he said the percentage of poverty is between 15 and 20 per cent. Of course, that’s a

huge gap. So I would be interested to know more about how they did the calculation, if they

say poverty in Malaysia is 15 to 20 per cent. That is really high, so what does it really mean?”

asked Othman.

In his report, Alston said Malaysia’s poverty line is not consistent with the cost of living or

household income and said real household income has increased fivefold since then, while the

country is now an upper middle-income nation instead of a low income one.

His remark was, however, criticised by Azmin who labelled Alston’s comments as “baseless

and uncalled for”, and former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin also lambasted Alston,

saying Malaysians’ income has improved significantly since the 5th Malaysia Plan.

Following public backlash of the defensive statements, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir

Mohamad said the government will study the claim made by Alston, while Putrajaya will

change its method of measuring poverty if necessary.

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‘BANTUAN KELUARGA MALAYSIA’

Government to introduce ‘Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia’ [NSTTV

By New Straits Times - October 29, 2021 @ 4:25pm

KUALA LUMPUR: The government will introduce a new financial aid for low-income

households, known as 'Bantuan Keluarga Malaysia' (BKM), where eligible recipients are set to

receive RM2,000 a month, Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz said.

In tabling the 2022 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat today, Tengku Zafrul said this would apply to

households with three or more children, earning less than RM2,500 a month.

"The disbursement of this aid is an increase from the previous RM1,800 under Bantuan

Prihatin Rakyat (BPR)," he told the Lower House today.

In addition, single mothers and fathers who make less than RM5,000 a month are also set to

receive an additional aid of RM500 monthly

For senior citizens, Tengku Zafrul said an additional RM300 would be given to them.

"This means single mothers and fathers with three or more children are eligible to get a

maximum BKM of RM2,500.

"Overall, BKM will benefit more than 9.6 million recipients with an allocation of RM8.2 billion.

This is an increase from the previous 8.6 million recipients under BPR with an allocation of

RM7 billion."

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On assistance channelled by the Social Welfare Department, Tengku Zafrul said the welfare

eligibility requirement would be increased in accordance with the 2019 Food Poverty Line Level

of RM1,169 instead of the previous RM980.

For this, Tengku Zafrul said RM2.4 billion has been allocated for 440,000 households in need.

"Efforts to expand the social protection coverage are in line with the government's commitment

to ensure that the assistance reaches those in need while taking into account the current rising

cost of living.

"Therefore, with this increase, more people will enjoy the benefits of welfare assistance under

the Social Welfare Department with an additional allocation of RM200 million," he said.

LACK OF FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

By Wartawan Nabalu News,13 November 2021

KOTA KINABALU: The people of Sabah, especially in rural areas, want the government to act

quickly to solve the problem of roads, electricity, water and internet in their areas just as the

government acted quickly to resolve the issue of 'gold' discovery in Kampung Bongkol Pitas.

A resident from Kampung Kuyungon Tambunan hoped that the government would pay

immediate attention to the road problem in their village, such as quick action to resolve the

'gold' issue in Pitas.

"How good it would be if the government could take swift action to overcome the road problem

in the village like they solved the viral issue of 'gold' in pitas," he told Nabalu News.

Another resident in Pitas claimed that the road problem in the district has been lingering for

decades but until now has not received attention.

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"If it's about gold 'in the blink of an eye', they arrive but about road damage, water problems

and so on are not taken into account," he said, comparing the discovery of 'gold' in the village

which got the government's immediate attention after it was circulated.

The Sabah Department of Minerals and Geosciences (JMG) confirmed that the ‘gold’ found in

a village in Pitas was actually not gold, but a mineral known as ‘pyrite’ or ‘Fools Gold’.

Prior to this, on social media, the villagers found a stone that looked like 'gold' in the road

construction area near Bongkol Pitas village.

Following the issue, many netizens made the issue a joke by issuing various satirical

comments.

“Here in Tulid DUN, there is a lot of gold, only we don't know how to mine, hope the central

government helps us.

"Even in Bongawan, there is no water because many gold nuggets enter the pipeline, the

government does not want to help us?

"Gold is quick to act, but the road problem has been idle for years," among netizens' scathing

comments.

Another resident of Kg. Kituwo Pitas, Justin Enin, appealed to the government to repair the

roads in his village.

“Since the time of our ancestors, we have never felt a road that is easy to pass. If it rains we

have to wade through muddy roads.

"We have many times applied for this road to be paved with stones but only 'grading' is done

(the road is leveled).

"Therefore, I request the authorities to review and help solve our problem because it is the

22
main connection for the villagers to get food items in Pitas or Kota Marudu," he said.

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY

Internet still not available to many

By: Shivani Supramani, November 04, 2020

PETALING JAYA: Just like water and electricity, internet access is now regarded as a basic

necessity.

The point was made clear as far back as 2011 by the United Nations, but until today, access to

the digital world is still confined only to those lucky enough to be living largely in urban areas

and have the money for costly devices.

In Malaysia, remote areas such as the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, are still very far behind

on the road to adequate internet accessibility.

This is a deficiency that has to be addressed quickly, considering that everyday life is now

almost totally dependent on the internet, according to Federation of Malaysian Consumers

Associations (Fomca) chief executive officer Datuk Dr Paul Selvaraj.

“Without the internet, people’s access to many needs such as education is hampered,” he said.

Selvaraj said access to the internet has never been more crucial than now given the

restrictions on normal life brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

23
“Schools are closed, and classrooms are now in the digital realm. Serious efforts must be

expended on ensuring that the internet is accessible to everyone and not just those in the

middle to upper class,” he told the Sun.

He also pointed out that apart from accessibility, the service also has to be affordable.

This should be a priority not just for the government but for service providers as well, he

added.

He noted that almost 35% of the population still do not have access to steady internet service,

especially in rural areas, either because of poor coverage or because the people just cannot

afford it.

The Malaysian Internet Exchange (MyIX) estimated that more than 70% of middle class

families in the Klang Valley are now connected to the internet, thanks to easy accessibility.

However, the coverage is not always at its best.

“Most times, you have access, but the quality is not good and that is of no use. We should

have wide coverage as well as quality service,” MyIX chairman Chiew Kok Hin said.

He noted that the new norm has increased the usage of internet services, given that most

people are now encouraged, even forced, to work from home.

Education is also now available online.

Chiew said internet usage has now reached about 588Gbps at its peak, compared with about

500Gbps before the movement control order was imposed in March to address the pandemic.

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 “That is a massive uptake and congestion issues are bound to happen. To their credit,

industry players very quickly upgraded their network and eased the congestion. Work,

entertainment and e-commerce related activity top the usage at the moment.”

In addition, he said instead of directly coming out with more internet packages, broadband

companies should work with the government agencies that take care of the B40 community

and make it a part of an effort to uplift them.

Consumers Association Penang president Mohideen Abdul Kader shared similar views with

Fomca regarding affordability and accessibility.

“Affordability and access to the internet is of utmost importance, especially to the B40 group,”

he said.

“The government should create high-speed internet access for them. Telcos and the

government should consider cross-subsidies or subsidies to this group, given that the internet

is crucial during the pandemic, when the incomes of this group are under stress.”

Internet still not available to many

Less than 20 per cent of areas in Malaysia have poor internet access

By: Bernama, Aug 03, 2020

Less than 20 per cent of areas in the country have very poor internet access, Deputy

Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said.

However, he said in some area’s internet access had been disrupted due to criminal acts and

vandalism.

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"There used to be coverage in these areas, but suddenly service is disrupted as certain parties

would dig up the fibre optic cables, steal the copper wiring or standby generators at some

communication towers.

"We are trying to overcome these problems while increasing broadband access," he said

during oral question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, today.

He said this in reply to a supplementary question from M. Karupaiya (PH-Padang Serai) on the

number of areas with very poor internet access in the country.

In reply to Sabri Azit's (PAS-Jerai) original question on measures to overcome the problem of

internet coverage in rural areas, Zahidi said the construction of communication towers and

upgrading of existing communication transmitters to 3G and 4G services are being intensified

nationwide.

He said a total of 2,360 communication towers had been erected and up to June, works on 280

towers are still being implemented.

A total of 5,348 communication transmitters at existing tower structures have been upgraded to

3G and 4G services, he said adding that 11 communication transmitters are still in the

implementation stage.

"As for fixed line broadband internet service, the government has implemented the suburban

broadband (SUBB) and rural broadband (RBB) projects to provide high speed broadband

facilities in suburban and rural areas throughout the country," he said.

He said up to last June, 639,676 extensions were readily available, while 34,781 extensions

were still in the implementation phase and due to complete in stages this year.
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Meanwhile, Zahidi informed that the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) is at

the implementation stage and tender for the project is being issued.

He said the ministry, during the national digital infrastructure laboratory series from July 13 until

Aug 14 would be setting new goals in relation to the digital infrastructure development plan.

"If the areas are seen to be able to provide better broadband services and the technology

which we propose is appropriate for the areas, upgradings would be implemented under phase

two and three of the NFCP project," he said in response to Sabri's supplementary question on

the status of NFCP implementation involving an allocation of about RM21.6 billion.

The NFCP five-year (2019–2023) plan is to provide sustainable, comprehensive, high quality

and affordable digital connectivity to all Malaysians.

-- BERNAMA

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2. McGranahan, D.A. (1988). Rural workers at a disadvantage in job opportunities -
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keluarga-malaysia-nsttv

6. Ryan, J. (2019, December 16). Pros and Cons of Moving to the Country.

MyMovingReviews.https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/pros-and-cons-of-moving-

to-the-country/amp/

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https://www.moving.com/tips/6-proven-benefits-of-country-living/

8. Baruah, P. (2021, October 24). Top advantages of living in countryside. Planning Tank.

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9. https://www.nabalunews.com/post/selesaikan-masalah-jalan-raya-di-sabah-sepantas-

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