“The government’s wisdom and ‘strategy’ (to attract selective foreign investments) has clearly failed, given how these giant digital companies are avoiding and excluding Malaysia.”

He said Facebook and Google recently announced they would collaborate with regional telecommunications companies to develop subsea cables to increase internet connectivity between Singapore and Indonesia and North America.

He said Malaysia did not participate in this mega project because, according to the Malaysia Internet Exchange (MyIX), the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government had prohibited foreign vessels from carrying out subsea cable repairs in the country.

He noted that last November transport minister Wee Ka Siong cancelled Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) decision to allow cabotage exemption so that foreign vessels could conduct work related to internet undersea cables.

Anwar said several tech companies had expressed disapproval over the cancellation.

The opposition leader said while he supported the development of local capabilities in technology, especially that involving national security, he was against monopolies that blocked competition and affected the country’s digital transformation.

He said the government’s cabotage policy had placed the country in a weak position, including in aspects relating to national security.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has decreased the quality of internet connection in Malaysia as the use of internet has spiked in all kinds of sectors,” he said describing Malaysia’s exclusion in the project as a massive loss to the country.

“Malaysians will continue to pay high prices for low internet speeds,” he said.