Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz (left) speaks to Tan Sri Annuar Musa during a press conference at the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya March 16, 2022. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
PUTRAJAYA, March 16 — Putrajaya today officially announced that Malaysia will proceed with its 5G rollout via its Single Wholesale Network (SWN) model operated by Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB).
The announcement was made by both Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa in a press conference here.
In the same announcement, Tengku Zafrul said the government has also agreed to allow telecommunications companies to hold equity in DNB.
“After considering several different models for the national 5G network infrastructure, the government has decided to maintain the implementation of being supply-driven and based on cost recovery through the SWN,” he said.
Following a Cabinet meeting, Tengku Zafrul also said the government has agreed to offer 70 per cent of equity holding within DNB to telecommunications companies whereas the remaining 30 per cent will be held by the Malaysian government.
“Ownership, equity value and other aspects related to this proposed equity participation are subject to negotiations between DNB and the telecommunications companies, where the agreement is targeted to be finalised in the near future,” he said.
For context, the Malaysian government last year selected Ericsson to develop the country’s 5G network infrastructure, simultaneously going with a SWN model operated by DNB, which is a wholly-owned unit of the Finance Ministry.
Late last year, all four major telcos in Malaysia recommended that an additional 5G network run parallel with DNB, adding that two organisations will utilise existing telco assets to coordinate and collaborate in the first 12-18 months to achieve a faster rollout of 5G across Malaysia.
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