KOTA KINABALU, May 19 (Bernama) -- Pay TV station Astro allocated RM500
million to Radio-Television Malaysia (RTM) as part of its Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) to enable the government-owned broadcaster to widen its
coverage especially in Sabah and Sarawak, said Information, Communications and
Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
He said Astro and RTM signed a memorandum of understanding for the purpsoe
for a period of three years beginning this year.
"My ministry thanks Astro for the gesture. This will put an end to
non-receipt of Astro and RTM broadcasts and other sources of broadcast
disturbances," he told reporters after attending the opening of the ministry''s
new integrated complex in Jalan Lintas, Kepayan here today.
The complex was opened by Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.
Rais said under the MOU, Astro would also be supplying 1,800 decoder units
to eligible recipients in Sabah and 2,000 in Sarawak in the near future.
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He said his ministry through RTM would also be increasing programmes with
content suited to the taste of target audiences in Sabah and Sarawak and a few
selected areas in the peninsula.
Rais said in connection with this, local television content producers were
invited to submit suitable programmes to complement 16 suppliers of such
programmes in Sabah and Sarawak.
He said besides television programmes broadcast on RTM''s TV1, TV2 and TV
interaktif (TVi) networks, the collaboration would also allow people in Sabah
and Sarawak obtain satellite broadcasts of RTM''s radio stations, namely
Klasik Nasional and its English, Mandarin and Tamil stations.
On the complex sited on a 6.76-hectare site and costing RM80 million, Rais
said it had the latest radio and television transmission facilities and was a
new landmark here in line with RTM''s growth over the years.
Also present were Juhar''s wife Toh Puan Norlida RM Jasni, Rais'' wife Datin
Seri Maznah Rais, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, Sabah broadcasting
director Abdul Jalani Mahmud, Sabah Information Department director Almain
Ajirul, Sabah Jasa (Special Affairs Department) director Abdul Manap Lakariba
and Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) general manager Datuk Hasnul
Hassan.
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