He said two companies namely REDtone International Bhd and Packet One Networks (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1), a subsidiary of Green Packet Bhd, had agreed to invest in Penang to enable all the public and community areas to have Internet access.
According to him, REDtone and P1 had pledged RM10 million and RM20 million respectively, over the next two years, adding that the state government was looking for more partners to invest in its the WiFi project with its free and fair competition approach.
“We have two more companies expressing interest. I think we will roll it all out next year,” Lim told reporters at parliament lobby yesterday.
Lim said any company that was interested in the project should have strong financial backing and be registered with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), as the state government would not be bearing any cost in the WiFi project.
“We will not be under any legal obligation. We will not give any monopoly to any company,” he added.
He said while Penang would be the first free WiFi state in the country, it would also offer WiMAX at an affordable rate.
On the health concerns of WiFi radiation level, Lim said following consultation with the relevant bodies including the Malaysian Nuclear Agency, the state government understood that the radiation level was extremely minimal.
He pointed out that the World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that the amount of non-ionising radiation absorbed by a person from a WiFi station was less than a fifth from what was absorbed from FM radio and television stations.
He added that certain parties that voiced their concern on the danger of WiFi radiation exposure had not proven their case to the state government and as such Penang was committed to proceeding with the WiFi project.
“I’m sure if WiFi is dangerous, no one will want come to parliament to work. MPs will be the first to be frightened as parliament is fully WiFi,” he quipped.
The Blogs 
Keep this up and soon Penang will be the envy of the rest of Malaysia.
