Melaka ICT Holdings appoints Maxis as strategic partner to accelerate Melaka’s digital ambition with fiberisation of telecommunication towers
Melaka ICT Holdings (MICTH) has officially appointed Maxis as its Strategic Infrastructure Partner to accelerate the state’s digital evolution through the fiberisation of telecommunication towers. This initiative aligns with the digitalisation goals of the Smart Melaka Blueprint 2035, ensuring Melaka remains at the forefront of the digital economy with a high-capacity, robust, and low-latency network architecture.
Under the agreement, Maxis will upgrade MICTH-owned telco towers, transitioning them from microwave backhaul to advanced high-capacity optical fibre network. The deployment will create a robust digital backbone capable of supporting faster, more reliable, and secure 4G and 5G services while enhancing overall network performance throughout the state.
The partnership was formalised today during an agreement exchange ceremony held at Kompleks Seri Negeri, Melaka, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Melaka, YAB Datuk Seri Utama Ab Rauf bin Yusoh and Datuk Fairul Nizam bin Roslan, State Exco for Science, Technology, Innovation & Digital Communication. The agreement was signed by Dr. Nazdiana binti Ab Wahab, Chief Executive Officer of MICTH, and Goh Seow Eng, Chief Executive Officer of Maxis.
“Melaka is strengthening its digital infrastructure by expanding fibre-optic connectivity across telecommunications towers from 40% to 80%, covering 151 towers with an investment around RM30 million. This initiative supports the aspirations of the Smart Melaka Blueprint 2035, which emphasises the development of a “Digital Highway” as a key foundation for the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, smart cities and the digital economy. The initiative is being implemented inclusively to ensure that its benefits reach the Rakyat, further positioning Melaka as a smarter, more competitive and digitally ready state." - YAB Datuk Seri Utama Ab Rauf bin Yusoh, Chief Minister of Melaka
“Strategic collaboration with Maxis will accelerate the migration of MICTH-owned telecommunications sites from microwave-based connectivity to high-capacity fibre networks, enhancing network performance and supporting growing digital demands across the state. The partnership underscores the importance of public-private collaboration in strengthening Melaka’s digital infrastructure and advancing the state’s digitalisation agenda.” - Dr. Nazdiana binti Ab Wahab, Chief Executive Officer of MICTH
"We view this project as a critical milestone in our partnership with MICTH. By fiberising these sites, we are laying the foundation for a future-proof ecosystem. This network offers the scalability needed to meet the exponential rise in data demand, providing the high-speed, low-latency backbone that mobile connectivity and AI traffic demands." - Goh Seow Eng, Chief Executive Officer of Maxis
Beyond upgrading the towers for mobile connectivity, the fibre infrastructure deployment is designed to benefit the wider community. Once modernised, these sites are envisioned to serve as key access points, paving the way for future high-speed broadband expansion into surrounding residential and commercial areas. This ensures that today's infrastructure investment will drive continuous digital improvements for Melaka’s citizens and local businesses.
Additionally, as the strategic partner, Maxis will leverage its wholesale expertise to offer mobile backhaul services to other mobile network operators (MNOs), fostering a competitive yet collaborative ecosystem that optimises infrastructure sharing across the state.
This agreement builds on the long-standing relationship between MICTH and Maxis, advancing the commitments made in their October 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance broadband connectivity across the state. By continuing to expand Melaka's core infrastructure, both parties remain dedicated to building a sustainable, resilient and digitally enabled smart state.
