COMMENT | Let’s dissect Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) one more time on the level of ideas, plain logic and strategic policy planning as a more detailed analysis of the issue Emir Research has published earlier, the two-part ‘Deconstructing 5G rollout in Malaysia’ from January 14 and 24, 2022.

From the mainstream narrative, leaving aside the most far-fetched claims made by DNB proponents for eloquence alone, the two realistic impacts could be improving internet connectivity in rural areas and improving the overall quality of internet connectivity in the country.

Now, if these are indeed the intended impacts, then the DNB proposal as it stands today could be best described as “Exhibit A - Misplaced Solution”. This is because the same impacts can be achieved in a more efficient, straightforward manner (without all the acrobatics surrounding the current DNB model) and would be agreeable to all the stakeholders provided, of course, the government does not flop on execution and conducts it with the high standard of governance and integrity.

Therefore, DNB's insistence on its original proposal of the Single Wholesale Network (SWN) model gives all the reasons for...