PUTRAJAYA: The government will implement a rigorous review to deploy the service of the fifth-generation network (5G) in Malaysia.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the 5G rollout needs to be reviewed and implemented in a transparent manner.
"The government will instruct that the policy be reviewed (again) as it was not done in a transparent manner (by the previous administration).
"There was no tender open tender process (on the rollout) and therefore, we need to review to make sure that we follow a strict financial procedure to ensure that things are done properly," he said in a press conference after a special Cabinet Meeting here today.
Last year, Anwar warned that the lack of transparency behind the rollout of the 5G mobile technology through DNB has the potential to evolve into a scandal as big as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
At the same time, Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) yesterday clarified that the approved cost of the 5G network and infrastructure deployment amounting to RM16.5 billion over the next 10 years, is funded by revenues generated by the sale of 5G capacity mobile network operators (MNOs).
DNB said there was no government funding or guarantees that were anticipated or expected, other than an initial start-up investment of RM500 million.