27/05/2025

Editorial T: 03-7784 6688 F: 03-7785 2625 E: sunbiz@thesundaily.com Advertising T: 03-7784 8888 E: advertise@thesundaily.com

SCAN ME

TUESDAY | MAY 27, 2025

U Mobile signs deal with TM for 5G network rollout

Asean needs to invest US$3 tril for energy transition by 2050: Fadillah KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has urged Asean member states to embrace a fundamental shift in financing strategies to achieve the region’s ambitious energy transition goals, with cumulative invest ments estimated at over US$3 trillion (RM12.6 trillion) by 2050. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said Malaysia alone requires more than US$143 billion to meet its renewable energy (RE) targets under the National Energy Transition Roadmap. “These figures underscore a simple but profound truth: public finance alone is insufficient. “Therefore, it is imperative for govern ments across the region to create a robust enabling environment that catalyses private investment, both domestic and international, through coordinated policy reform and innovative financial instruments,” he said. In his keynote address at the ‘Energy Transition Meeting in Asean: Fostering Regional Cooperation’ conference here yesterday, Fadillah, who is also the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister, said these instruments include blended finance mechanisms and public guarantees to de-risk early-stage RE projects. He added that Asean must also strengthen its capital markets through the issuance of green bonds, Islamic finance instruments such as sukuk, and sustainability-linked loans to channel capital into clean energy projects. “Carbon pricing frameworks that reflect the real cost of emissions are essential to incentivise the shift toward low-carbon technologies. “Digitalisation of the energy eco system, including smart grids, artificial intelligence-based forecasting tools, and demand-side management systems, will play a crucial role in enhancing system flexibility and efficiency across the region,” he said. At the national level, Fadillah said, Malaysia has already begun aligning its policies and financing landscape to support this transformation. “As a trading nation, we (Malaysia) recognise that competitiveness and climate ambition must go hand in hand. The Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme enables large electricity con sumers to directly source RE from private developers, offering a market-driven route to decarbonisation,” he said. – Bernama

ruptions collectively. He also highlighted that Asean’s pivot towards closer cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and China pre sents a significant growth oppor tunity, stressing that the inaugural Asean-GCC-China-Summit, which runs concurrently with the 46th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur, reflects the bloc’s expanding in fluence in a multipolar global order. – Bernama more and representing Malaysia’s widest fibre backhaul coverage – U Mobile is poised to expedite the rollout of its Next Gen 5G network across the country. The strategic partnership will enable U Mobile to tap into TM’s comprehensive 5G Mobile Back haul Service, ensuring high network performance and reliable con nectivity for both enterprises and consumers. Asked how the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will measure U Mobile and TM’s promises based on cheaper, faster services, Fahmi said the government has esta blished mechanisms to ensure pricing remains competitive, such as the Mandatory Standards on Access Pricing (MSAP), which is applied to TM. He said this is one of the key tools to regulate and maintain fair pricing in the market. “We last reviewed the MSAP last year, and we plan to reassess it every two to three years. This mechanism allows the MCMC to ensure that ordinary consumers continue to enjoy better prices moving for ward,” Fahmi said. Meanwhile, Wong said U Mobile is pleased to partner with TM for its fibre backhaul, noting that TM’s extensive nationwide coverage will help accelerate U Mobile’s 5G rollout across Malaysia. “Together with TM and other partners, we are committed to reaching 80% coverage of popu lated areas within 12 months, while ensuring a superior 5G experience that is highly reliable, supports massive capacity and delivers ultra fast speeds to benefit enterprises and consumers across Malaysia,” he said. Through the collaboration, U Mobile and TM are reinforcing their commitment to accelerating Malaysia’s 5G connectivity, fos tering digital innovation and empowering businesses and com munities nationwide. than 740,000km

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

o Mobile service provider to leverage Telekom Malaysia’s fibre backhaul to ensure 80% coverage in populated areas by July 2026

KUALA LUMPUR: U Mobile has been directed to initiate discussions with Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), the country’s first 5G network pro vider, to ensure Malaysia’s second 5G network achieves 80% coverage in populated areas by July 2026. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil sees the collaboration between U Mobile and DNB as a crucial step towards the successful rollout of the second 5G network – and potentially a third in the future – as part of Malaysia’s broader efforts to strengthen digital infra structure and enhance nationwide connectivity. “Given that both U Mobile and DNB are leveraging Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s (TM) extensive fibre backhaul, I don’t see this as an issue for the government’s goal of establishing a truly competitive

enabler of Digital Malaysia, as its key fibre backhaul partner to accelerate the deployment of its 5G network nationwide. The partnership agreement, valued at RM2.4 billion over 10 years, will see TM provide U Mobile with a comprehensive suite of backhaul infrastructure services, including fibre leased line access to U Mobile’s 5G Radio Access Network, data centre and TM Edge Facility leasing for Points of Interconnect), and trunk leased line for inter-regional connec tivity. With TM’s extensive nation wide fibre footprint – spanning

dual 5G network. “As U Mobile CEO Wong Heang Tuck highlighted, they aim to achieve 80% coverage of populated area by July 2026. “While both networks will offer wholesale 5G services, U Mobile plans to introduce additional offerings. “By tapping into TM’s infra structure, they can keep costs in check – a move that will ultimately benefit everyday consumers,” Fahmi told reporters on the sidelines after a partnership signing ceremony between U Mobile and TM yesterday. U Mobile has appointed TM, the

From left: U Mobile chief financial officer Sandy Tsang, Wong, U Mobile chief technology officer Woon Ooi Yuen, Fahmi, TM Global executive vice-president Khairul Liza Ibrahim, TM chairman Datuk Zainal Abidin Putih and TM CEO Amar Huzaimi Md Deris at the partnership signing ceremony.

‘Asean must unlock geo-economic potential to narrow GDP gap with major blocs’ KUALA LUMPUR: Asean must capitalise on strategic initiatives such as the Asean Geo-economics Task Force and the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (Defa) to narrow its economic gap with major global blocs such as the European Union (EU). million – more than that of the EU – currently commands a gross domestic product (GDP) of only around US$4 trillion (RM16.8 trillion), compared to the EU’s US$20 trillion. “Despite our demographic agreement, seeks to integrate South east Asia as an innovative, inter operable and investable region in the digital age. It remains under nego tiation, with member states aiming to finalise the agreement by the end of the year.

imposition of unilateral tariffs by the United States,” he said in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s opening remarks at the 46th Asean Summit here yesterday. The Asean economic ministers’ special meeting on April 10 approved the establishment of the Asean Geo economics Task Force to assess the risks and opportunities from the current global trade shifts. Defa, expected to be the world’s first region-wide digital economy

strength, Asean has yet to realise its full geo-economic potential. That is why the launch of the Asean Geo economics Task Force is a critical move to provide strategic response mechanisms, including in response to external pressures such as the recent

Kumararajah said Malaysia had previously formed its geo-economic task force within days of the US tariff announcement on April 2, and is now sharing this model with Asean to address broader global trade dis

National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) vice-president Datuk Dr AT Kumara rajah told Bernama that the region, with a combined population of 680