57 Orang Asli Villages In Johor Enjoy 4G Mobile Connectivity Under JENDELA

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 – A total of 57 Orang Asli villages (Kampung Orang Asli or KOA) across Johor enjoyed reliable 4G mobile coverage as of September 1, 2026, while one additional village has been integrated into Phase 2 of the National Digital Network Plan (JENDELA) to boost internet access.

The Communications Ministry released the updates in a written parliamentary reply published on the Parliament website on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

The ministry was responding to interpellations from Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein (BN-Sembrong), who inquired about progress on the People Friendly Broadband Internet service within Johor Orang Asli reserves and government strategies to resolve off-grid power constraints for remote telecommunications towers.

According to official data, internet and telecommunications coverage in populated areas across Johor reached 99.98 per cent—surpassing the national coverage rate of 99.75 per cent as of September 1, 2026.

Addressing power supply issues for remote transmission towers, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is upgrading traditional generator setups to hybrid or solar genset configurations to bolster operational resilience:

• Solar Genset Upgrades: Four communication towers previously dependent on fuel generators—located in KOA Kemidak, KOA Pasir Salam, KOA Tewowoh, and Jalan KOA Peta—were converted to solar genset systems.
• Permanent Grid Connections: Five JENDELA towers were successfully connected to the national electrical grid, serving KOA Tanah Gemboh, KOA Simpang Arang, KOA Pasir Intan, KOA Sayong Pinang, and KOA Peta.

The ministry added that MCMC received zero official network coverage complaints from Orang Asli villages in Johor between January 1 and September 1, 2026. Nonetheless, authorities remain committed to resolving rural deployment challenges stemming from difficult terrain and fiber-optic routing limitations.

Broadband Coverage Metrics, Power Upgrades, and Tower Infrastructure

Key digital infrastructure accomplishments, tower power upgrades, and coverage metrics include:

• Johor KOA 4G Status: 57 Orang Asli villages equipped with 4G network coverage; 1 village slated for JENDELA Phase 2 upgrades.
• Populated Area Coverage Rates: Johor populated area coverage reached 99.98% (National average: 99.75%) as of Sept 1, 2026.
• Solar System Conversions: 4 towers upgraded to solar gensets (KOA Kemidak, KOA Pasir Salam, KOA Tewowoh, Jalan KOA Peta).
• Grid Connections: 5 towers linked to permanent power grids (KOA Tanah Gemboh, KOA Simpang Arang, KOA Pasir Intan, KOA Sayong Pinang, KOA Peta).

–NMT