Chief minister Abang Johari Openg said, the spectrum was awarded only to telecommunications companies such as Celcom and Digi.

“Unfortunately, these companies are reluctant to extend their services to remote areas because there is ‘less business’ in such places and no profit margin.

“So, we are discussing with the federal government to give the spectrum to Sarawak agencies to serve our rural areas,” he told reporters today.

“We will subsidise the operation as it will not only benefit the rural communities but will ensure that Sarawak achieves high income status by 2030,” he said.

Abang Johari said some had been sceptical when he made a digital economy the state’s priority when he became chief minister in 2017.

He said his decision proved to be “the right one” when online transactions from grocery shopping, selling and ordering food, to making payments, became the norm as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said he was confident expanding Sarawak’s digital capability would transform the state into one of the country’s most developed regions by 2030.

Speaking at the launch of the Miri Smart City, Abang Johari said a digital economy involves taking advantage of information and communication technology to improve government services and solve problems effectively.

“Miri will be Sarawak’s first smart city and a test bed before we expand it to major cities such as Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu,” he said.

“A smart city is also a safe city, which is very important, especially in the post-Covid-19 era to attract tourists to boost our tourism industry,” he added.

The smart city includes elements like Safe City, where CCTVs are installed at strategic locations, Smart Buses to improve transportation and accessibility, as well as Smart Garbage Trucks and Digital Signage.