KUALA LUMPUR: US aerospace company SpaceX today donated 50 Starlink kits to Malaysia to support the country’s disaster preparedness, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said the contribution was presented by a SpaceX delegation that paid a courtesy call on him at the Perdana Putra Building in Putrajaya, which was also attended by Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil.
Anwar said the meeting, among other things, discussed efforts to strengthen strategic co-operation through Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by the company, with a specific focus on expanding network access to residents in rural areas.
“I appreciate Starlink’s role in supporting the government’s efforts to expand coverage and improve the quality of internet access through the National Digital Network (JENDELA), including in rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as Orang Asli settlements in the Peninsula.
“I also welcome the operation of Starlink’s Point of Presence (PoP) infrastructure in Cyberjaya to smoothen local data traffic and improve service quality for users,” he said in a Facebook post.
At the same time, Anwar stressed that technological advancement must bring tangible benefits to the people, while ensuring that cybersecurity, data protection and safe internet usage continue to be given priority alongside the expansion of internet access.
“We want to ensure that communities in rural areas also enjoy quality and safe internet access so that they are not left behind in the country’s current of progress,” he said.