KUALA LUMPUR – The government has allocated RM5 billion for the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA) and RM1 billion to strengthen the national digital healthcare ecosystem under Budget 2027.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), in welcoming the budget, said the initiatives reflected the government’s continued commitment to expanding digital infrastructure, improving connectivity and accelerating the country’s digital transformation.
The RM5 billion JENDELA allocation will be used to expand high-quality Internet coverage in rural and remote areas, including Orang Asli villages, while improving connectivity along 7,000km of roads and highways and 1,700km of railway lines nationwide.
Meanwhile, the RM1 billion allocation for the National Digital Healthcare Ecosystem and Connectivity Initiative (PERSADA) will support improvements to digital infrastructure and connectivity in the healthcare sector.
MCMC said the initiative would support the expansion of Electronic Medical Records (EMR), telehealth services and the use of drones to deliver medicine, improving access to healthcare services in rural and remote areas.
Another RM142 million will be allocated to empower National Information Dissemination Centres (NADI), strengthening their role as community digital hubs through digital skills and artificial intelligence (AI) training, as well as support for local economic development and entrepreneurship.
The government will also develop the MADANI Submarine Cable System (SALAM) to increase network capacity and resilience between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, supporting more inclusive and sustainable digital economic growth.
In the education sector, the provision of Wi-Fi at all public higher education institutions will provide students with more comprehensive Internet access to support digital learning and the development of future talent.
MCMC said the development of a Sovereign AI Cloud and efforts to strengthen national cybersecurity would also reinforce data sovereignty, support the safe development of AI and improve the resilience of the country’s digital ecosystem.
The commission will continue intensifying its Safe Internet Campaign in schools nationwide while combating digital scams, including through the blocking of more than 5.7 billion scam-related calls and SMS messages.
As the regulator of the communications and multimedia sector, MCMC said it was committed to ensuring that the announced initiatives were implemented effectively and translated into tangible benefits for the people, industry and country.
It added that the strategic investments would help drive the digital economy and strengthen Malaysia’s position as a competitive digital nation. – October 12, 2026