Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated that the government, through direct negotiations, has not awarded the second 5G network contract to any companies.
He stressed that the contract has not been granted to Huawei through direct negotiations and stated that interested parties can participate in the tender bid once it’s officially opened, according to Bernama.
He emphasised that the process follows a commercial aspect similar to what Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) had previously undergone. The timing of establishing the second 5G entity and subsequent commercial decisions will be determined by the board of directors.
The minister further clarified that the contract would go to the provider offering the most competitive price, and as of now, no decision has been made.
Fahmi made these comments in response to statements made by former Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Ong Kiang Ming, who questioned the government’s decision to award the second 5G network contract to Huawei through direct negotiation.
Fahmi clarified that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s speech at the 2023 Malaysia Information and Communications Technology Summit organised by Huawei Technologies Malaysia should not be taken out of context, as it was solely related to the context of the summit.
