GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government will continue to exclude three parliamentary constituencies held by non-Pakatan Rakyat MPs in its free WiFi initiative.

Citing limited funds, Penang Telecommunications Task Force chairman Jeff Ooi said the state resources were too limited to extend the service to Kepala Batas, Tasek Gelugor and Nibong Tebal.

Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is the MP of Kepala Batas while the MP for Tasek Gelugor is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

Nibong Tebal MP Tan Tee Beng quit PKR last year and has joined Parti Kesejahteraan Insan Tanah Air (Kita).

“There is no point investing money in Kepala Batas, Tasik Gelugor and Nibong Tebal for now.

“If we have the resources, we will, but our resources are limited so we are focusing on the Pakatan-held constituencies,” Ooi, who is Jelutong MP, told reporters yesterday.

If the local people in the constituencies want WiFi, then they should vote for Pakatan, Ooi added.

He said the first phase of 750 hotspots had already been achieved and phase two of the project (to add another 750 hot spots) was expected to start by the end of the month.

Of the 750, already set up in the state, Ooi said Tanjung boosted of the best coverage with 321 hotspots, followed by Batu Kawan (110) and Bayan Baru (98).

Permatang Pauh has the fewest hot spots at a mere 10 while Balik Pulau and Bukit Gelugor have 13 and 20 respectively.

Ooi said phase two of the project was aimed at increasing the number of hotspots in the state by another 750 by the end of the year.

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