KUALA LUMPUR – Discussions on the implementation of the 5G single network or single wholesale network (SWN) concept under Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) as the operator were carried out early this year, said Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
Saifuddin, who was then the communications and multimedia minister, said the discussions, involving the Communications and Multimedia Ministry, Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Finance Ministry (MoF) were held before the cabinet meeting on February 3.
“(The Communications and Multimedia Ministry), MCMC and the Finance Ministry discussed the matter together before the cabinet meeting on February 3, 2021 where the decision to set up a special purpose vehicle (now called DNB) was made.
“I was also involved in the next steps and was briefed by DNB and EY (Ernst & Young Consulting Services Sdn Bhd) further on the implementation plan,” he said via a post on his official Twitter account today.
Yesterday, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz in a post on social media stated that the concept was a proposal submitted by MCMC in the Final Report on Spectrum Allocation for Mobile Broadband Services, which was published at that time.
According to Tengku Zafrul, the report proposed the formation of a single entity by a 5G consortium comprising telecommunication companies (telcos) as opposed to awarding the 5G spectrums individually.
He claimed that the Communications and Multimedia Ministry was also aware that a special purpose vehicle wholly owned by the government would be appointed to implement a single 5G network infrastructure nationwide.
On March 1, 2021, the MoF announced the formation of DNB to manage the 5G SWN based on the cost recovery model rather than a profit maximisation model.
Tengku Zafrul was referring to a statement by Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin in the Dewan Rakyat last Thursday that there was no consultation with his ministry on the appointment of DNB to undertake the deployment of the 5G network and infrastructrure via the SWN model. – Bernama, December 11, 2021
