06/07/2026 08:02 PM

Johor Polls: 'Puteri Menangis' Cries Out For Better Internet Access

By Muhammad Faiz Baharin

PONTIAN, July 6 (Bernama) -- Residents in the Benut state constituency, including those living in the Puteri Menangis area, are calling for an immediate solution to longstanding internet connectivity problems.

Retiree Siti Masita Mohamed, 60, described internet access in the area as unsatisfactory, claiming that little progress had been made despite repeated complaints by residents.

“My daughter is a kindergarten teacher and lives in Kampung Puteri Menangis. Whenever she has work to complete from home, she faces difficulties because the internet service there is poor.

“She sometimes has to return to our other house in Sungai Pinggan, but even there the internet connection is unstable, fast at one moment and slow the next,” she told Bernama at the Benut Bus Terminal here today.

Private sector employee Md Shah Rizal Abdur Rahaman, 39, said frequent network disruptions not only affect residents' daily lives but also impact the local economy, particularly small entrepreneurs who rely on online businesses.

“Some residents are trying to earn extra income through online businesses, but the intermittent internet connection makes it difficult for them to operate,” he said.

Retail trader Ahmad Shahril Azhar, 45, said unstable internet access often disrupts QR code transactions at business premises and causes online money transfers to fail.

“Many customers prefer cashless payments, but the internet connection here is inconsistent. Sometimes customers have to wait a long time for transactions to go through, and in some cases, they decide not to proceed with their purchases when the transaction fails,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ating Loh, 21, a student at a private higher education institution in Skudai who lives in Benut town, hoped the relevant authorities would take steps to improve internet services in the area.

“For students like me, a stable internet connection is important, especially during semester breaks when we need to complete assignments at home or prepare for examinations,” she said.

A Bernama survey in the Benut area, located about 80 kilometres from Johor Bahru, found that Air Baloi, Sungai Pinggan, Parit Markom and Puteri Menangis were among the locations affected by internet connectivity issues.

In the Johor state election on July 11, the Benut seat will witness a straight fight between Barisan Nasional's Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan and Pakatan Harapan's Abd Razak Ismail.

Former Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad of BN won the seat in the previous state election with a majority of 5,859 votes. He is not defending the seat this time, making way for Mohd Sumali.

Early voting will be held tomorrow, involving 24,751 voters.

To get the latest news on the Johor state election, visit https://prn.bernama.com/johor.

-- BERNAMA

 

N53: BENUT - 28,798 voters

1. Datuk Mohd Sumali Reduan (BN-UMNO)

2. Abd Razak Ismail (PH-Amanah)

(2022: Datuk Hasni Mohammad: BN-UMNO: Maj: 5,859)

 

 

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