PETALING JAYA: Several MPs told The Malay Mail yesterday they were also in the dark about whether the Universal Service Provision (USP) fund has been spent wisely.
Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin cited the example of how only about a third of residents in his constituency in Sabah had electricity supply in their homes as well as only one telco tower and two rural Internet outposts.
"Giving free netbooks to residents there before the necessary infrastructure is complete would be useless.
"Three hybrid solar power plants are being built by the Energy Commission and only then can the MCMC build more Internet facilities."
Public Accounts Committee deputy chairman Dr Tan Tang Giaw, said MCMC must make use of the USP fund wisely and effectively to achieve the aim of providing Internet services in rural areas where telcos were not interested in investing as it was not profitable for them.
"We don't know how they are spending the fund. If it is true, the fund now has RM4.7 billion, that is a huge amount. I will bring this matter up in Parliament."
Gombak MP Azmin Ali was also keen on getting clarifications from the ministry on the state of the fund.
"I don't want to comment further as only the ministry will know how the fund has been used so far."
Meanwhile, Selangor State Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, said the USP fund had been used wisely by the MCMC in his constituency of Sungai Panjang.
"Last month, MCMC gave 500 netbooks with broadband access to villagers."
He said he was satisfied with the effort, adding: "I don't know what it is like at other places. So far, I heard Internet facilities at Sungai Besar, Sabak Bernam and Tanjung Karang have been completed by the MCMC.
Villagers there are happy."
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