MIRI, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- Sacofa Sdn Bhd (Sacofa), a state-owned company, Thursday sealed an agreement with Telekom Brunei Berhad (TelBru) and Celcom Timur (Sabah) Sdn Bhd (Celcom Timur) to provide a comprehensive fibre optic telecommunications network linking Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei.

The agreement will synergise utilisation of nearly 4,000km of on-land fibre optic cable network of which Sacofa owns about 2,900km, Celcom Timur (605km) and TelBru (410km).

The on-land fibre optic cable network will be connected to Sacofa's 1,000km fibre optic submarine cable system laid between Kuching and Mersing in Johor.

Sacofa's Managing Director Abang Jemat Abang Bujang, TelBru's global business general manager Poh Eng Gee and Celcom Timur chief executive officer Fadhli Abdul Hamid signed the agreement.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan witnessed the signing ceremony at a hotel here.

Abang Jemat said the agreement was significant as it marked a new era in telecommunication links between Brunei and the two Malaysian states.

He said the collaboration would open up business opportunities for the three companies, maximise utilisation of their existing infrastructures and avoid costly duplications, while providing another alternative for their customers in meeting communication requirements by offering attractive rates.

Saying the agreement was another major milestone for telecommunication development in Borneo's north-western region over the last 20 years, Poh said the cooperation would guarantee an overall network efficiency.

He said the joint venture was the beginning to further expansion of fibre optic network in the region.

TelBru was fully committed to the achievement of objectives it shared with Sacofa and Celcom Timur, he added.

Dr Chan said the collaboration would strengthen Malaysia-Brunei ties, with more business partnerships of similar nature being developed, to expand fibre optic network, particularly in Sarawak.

The established infrastructures would create a conducive information and communication technology environment in the state, while facilitating economic growth, he added.

-- BERNAMA