Its minister Gobind Singh Deo said through the proposed bill, the internet facility would be categorised as a utility, just like electricity and water supply at home.

“If it becomes a ‘basic human right’, it can be categorised as a utility… there’ll be a need for all houses to be connected with fibre optic internet,” he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the royal address on behalf of his ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said this in response to a suggestion by Ismail Mohamed Said (BN-Kuala Krau) to make it compulsory for developers to install broadband facility at their housing projects.

Stressing on the importance of having internet access, Gobind said he hoped the proposed bill would get the full support from the house when tabled.

In another development, he said the complaint system on abuse of the social media would be enhanced by improving the integration system of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the police.

He said normally for all reports on social media abuse, the police would work with MCMC to identify the owner of the social media account concerned, but due to the weak integration system, it took a long time to solve cases.

On the proposed merger between Bernama and RTM, he said it would take into account all factors, including workforce.

He also said the government would proceed with the move to abolish the Anti-Fake News Act, and also improve existing laws under the ministry in tandem with the development and growth in the media industry.