16 Jul 2018
Sultan Perak launches Telegraph Museum in Taiping, Perak
Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) via its foundation, Yayasan Telekom Malaysia (YTM), continues its role to preserve arts, culture and national heritage when the Company today officially launched its second museum - Telegraph Museum - the first of its kind in the country, in Taiping, Perak.
The launch of the Telegraph Museum was graced by HRH the Sultan Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah. Also present at the launch were HRH Sultanah of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim, Raja Muda Perak, Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa and Raja Di Hilir Perak Raja Iskandar Dzulkarnain together with Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob, Chairman, TM who also the Chairman of YTM, Datuk Bazlan Osman, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer, TM and Abd Hamid Hashim, Director of YTM.
The launch of Telegraph Museum is a historical event for YTM after the opening of the Telekom Museum or also known as Muzium Telekomunikasi Negara in Kuala Lumpur in 1994.
Tan Sri Sulaiman in his speech said, “The role of the museum has changed over the years, expanding its focus beyond presenting things of the past to include creating a connection with the present and a glimpse into the future. Telegraph Museum is a space that provides us with the knowledge on telegraph’s history since 18th century. The Post & Telegraph Department (P&T) has played an important role towards the development of National’s telecommunication system and TM through YTM has the responsibility to maintain and preserve our nation’s heritage for future generation.”
“The establishment of the Telegraph Museum is set to be the latest tourist attraction in Perak specifically and Malaysia, generally. The museum features the history of telegraph communications system including its maiden breakthrough here and how the technology has contributed to the development of the nation.
We hope that the both museums; Telekom Museum and Telegraph Museum will be the places for students, researchers and the communities within and outside the country to deepen their understanding on the country’s telecommunication heritage and telegraph communications system,” he added.
YTM’s efforts in establishing this Telegraph Museum is intended to restore and conserve the historic building, built in 1883 that housed the first Post Office & Telegraph (P&T) Office in Malaya, which then also became the first office of Telekom Malaysia. This 135 years old Telegraph office represents national identity and the highest historical moment in the earliest telecommunications history in the country. The two storey building has also been used as Jabatan Telekom Club Office and Telekom Malaysia Technical Operations Office before conservation works of the heritage building by maintaining its original shape during the 18th century.
Among the interesting artifacts being showcased at the Telegraph Museum is the 1870s submarine cable which was the earliest cable in the world that uses insulation materials from the Gutta Percha tree extract. Visitors can also take a tour around the museum to see the telegraph transmitor and reception tools as well as other peripherals related to telegraph communications system back then while appreciating the history of telegraph and the benefits it brought to the nation until the telegram service was terminated in 2012.
Malaysian citizens can purchase the entrance tickets at RM8 for adults and RM5 for children while for non-Malaysians, the ticket price is RM15 per person.
In conjunction with the launch of the Telegraph Museum, TM also collaborated with Pos Malaysia in issuing a limited edition stamp collection kit that features the Telegraph Museum which can be purchased at RM50.80 per set from 98 Pos Malaysia Offices nationwide.
With the launch of this second TM museum, TM has proven their commitment in conserving this historic heritage. The Company believes that these initiatives by YTM such as the establishment of the Telekom Museum and the Telegraph Museum will greatly benefit in national development, in line with our unique role as a partner in nation building.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
unifi choices for different home needs and affordability
New unifi 100Mbps plan at RM 129 per month, complements unifi Basic plan for all Following hot on the heels of unifi Basic for all Malaysians, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) recently introduced the new unifi 100Mbps plan at RM129 per month - delivering broadband experience of 100Mbps with unlimited usage, access to unifi PlayTV packages for everywhere, anytime entertainment as well as free 600 minutes of voice calls. This new unifi 100Mbps plan represents a refreshed, simplified and great value all-in-one home offering. Imri Mokhtar, Executive Vice President of unifi, said: “We are constantly innovating by listening closely to our customers - understanding the household needs for fast unlimited broadband, endless entertainment and connecting with one’s family and friends. Recently on 12th July 2018, we had announced our plans to upgrade our existing unifi home customers to higher broadband speeds (currently in pilot phase), so that they could enjoy the better experience a higher speed broadband can offer. Now, we are opening up this experience to new unifi home customers by offering them this 100Mbps unifi plan - as a start.” “Our customer insights show that more and more Malaysia homes are opting for high speed broadband to fuel their daily digital lifestyle - especially driven by the rising usage of streaming services and digital games (e-sports) as part of today’s household lifestyle,” he added. Imri explained: “As the nation’s partner in unleashing the digital potential of a fully connected Malaysia, it is our obsession to enable every Malaysian household to enjoy the benefits of digital technology. Through unifi 100Mbps at RM129 per month, we are setting a new benchmark of speed and affordability - 60% lower than previous 100Mbps plan. We believe that 100Mbps will soon become the starting high speed for Malaysian households as more and more digital applications and content demand greater bandwidth, speed and reliability. Hence, we are anticipating our customers’ needs with this new 100Mbps plan, with higher speed plans coming to you very soon.” To date, more than 1.2 million customers nationwide are enjoying unifi broadband. After a strong market presence serving these 1.2 million early digital adopters, we are opening up to all the more affordable entry-level unifi Basic plan, priced at RM79 per month with 60GB quota, to serve a larger market segment to be onboard the high speed broadband experience. With the new unifi 100Mbps plan and unifi Basic for all, unifi is now able to serve the needs and affordability of a wider base of Malaysian homes. For example, the unifi Basic plan perfectly caters to smaller households that only require approximately 60GB a month for their specific lifestyle needs at this point of time. As the household grows, they can now comfortably move over to the new unifi 100Mbps which fits more arrays of digital lifestyle needs, including access to unifi’s PlayTV content and free voice calls. “We believe that internet connectivity is the basic enabler in growing a more digital Malaysia, leading to a seismic shift in consumer lifestyle. Today, consumers are increasingly benefitting from internet services. They value instant gratification and dislike disruptions to their connected lives. From unifi’s perspective, what consumers want is a converged digital lifestyle where everything is at their fingertips everywhere, anytime. That is exactly what we are offering them,” Imri said, in closing. To learn more about the latest unifi offerings, log on to unifi.com.my
TM reports operational improvement for 3Q2018 despite challenging environment
Key Highlights of 3Q2018: Group Revenue of RM2.95 billion Group Reported Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) at RM941.4 million Group Reported Loss After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (LATAMI) of RM175.6 million from impairment of network assets Key Highlights of YTD 2018: Group Revenue of RM8.73 billion Group EBITDA at RM2.55 billion Group Reported Profit After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (PATAMI) at RM83.5 million Announces Revised Dividend Policy Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) today announced its financial results for the quarter ended 30 September 2018. The Group saw steady operational performance, amidst heightened challenges in its operating environment, namely industry and market challenges impacting its revenue. The Group held revenue steady, at RM2.95 billion in 3Q2018, 0.3% higher from RM2.94 billion in the previous quarter, on the back of higher data as well as other telecommunication related services revenue. Group Reported Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) for 3Q2018 grew 11.3% to RM941.4 million as compared to RM845.9 million in 2Q2018 mainly due to lower operating costs. Group Normalised EBITDA, which excludes non-operational items, increased 13.1%, at RM930.9 million. However, due to impairment loss on wireless and fixed network assets, the Group recorded Loss Before Interest and Tax (LBIT) at RM631.8 million for 3Q2018. Without the reported impairment and other non-operational items, the Group’s Normalised Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) is at RM315.6 million for 3Q2018, a 39.4% increase against Normalised EBIT of RM226.4 million in 2Q2018. Consequently, the Group reported Loss After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (LATAMI) of RM175.6 million compared with RM102.0 million Profit After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (PATAMI) in the prior quarter. TM’s core net profit, or Normalised PATAMI excluding non-operational items, stood at RM266.4 million, a 71.0% improvement sequentially. The total capital expenditure (CAPEX) investment for the first nine months of 2018 at RM1.32 billion, or 15.1% of revenue. This is within TM’s full year capex guidance of 19-20% of revenue. By asset type, access comprised 62% of total spending, followed by core network at 15% and the remaining 23% was for support systems. Imri Mokhtar, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer, TM said: “We continue to face various headwinds from competitive market dynamics. Nonetheless, we held revenue steady over the quarter, and saw our cost reduction initiatives bearing fruit, by recording improved operational performance for QoQ and YoY. However, in light of the continued pressure from industry and market challenges and its impact on our revenue thus far, we have taken a prudent view, by undertaking the impairment of our network assets – this resulted in close to a RM1.0 billion impairment loss this quarter.” “The operational improvement in 3Q2018 is testament to the Group’s commitment to the four (4) pillars of our Performance Improvement Programme (PIP 2018) - Revenue Uplift / Preservation, Sustained Profitability, Improved Cash Flow and Increased Productivity that will navigate us through these headwinds. We are rationalising our business, reducing operating costs and focusing our resources on the opportunities that will have the most impact,” Imri elaborated. “We currently have 2.29 million broadband customers and our unifi customer base continues to grow at 1.26 million as at end of 3Q2018 as compared to 1.06 million as at the end of the corresponding quarter last year. In terms of convergence, we saw more customers moving up the value chain with having triple-play services and above, evidenced by our convergence penetration now at 48% of TM’s household penetration compared with 39% this time last year,” he added. “We will continue to strengthen our products and services portfolio and we are stepping up how we aggressively compete in the market, with greater sales and Go-To-Market activities on the ground. We are also working hard to reach more customers with various fit-for-purpose technologies to ensure that everyone can have the benefit of higher broadband speeds and enhanced experience. On top of that, we also have continuous engagements with the Ministry and the regulator to work toward mutually beneficial outcomes - for an improved broadband experience and help build a more balanced and inclusive digital nation, whilst at the same time balancing the business sustainability of the Group and the interests of our other stakeholders.” TM also announced a revised dividend policy which states that the Company intends to distribute yearly dividends of 40 to 60% from its PATAMI. Dividends will be paid depending on overall business and earnings performance, capital commitments, financial conditions, distributable reserves and other relevant factors. The dividend policy will take effect from the next dividend declaration. “This is a matter of great importance to us. In light of the current operating landscape and after careful consideration of the potential impact on our earnings alongside our efforts to transform the Company to adapt thereto, the Board has determined the review of our dividend policy to support TM’s long-term strategic objectives.” As Malaysia’s Convergence Champion, TM remains committed to fulfilling Malaysians’ digital and communication needs of all customer segments i.e., consumer, SME, corporate enterprises, public sectors, access seekers etc via our business clusters, unifi (consumer & SME), TM ONE (Enterprise and Public sectors) and TM Global (Global and Wholesale). Prospects for the Current Financial Year Ending 31 December 2018 The recent industry challenges and market environment have had major impact to the overall revenue estimates and earnings of TM Group in the financial year. TM anticipates that the challenging environment will persist for both its retail and wholesale segments. In the midst of these challenges, TM will continue to focus towards strengthening performance of its core business and operations.
TM turns in revenue of RM5.78 billion YTD for 1H2018 amidst challenging environment
Key Highlights of 1H2018: Performance to-date: Group Revenue of RM5.78 billion Group Reported Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) at RM1.61 billion Group Reported Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) stood at RM444.5 million; Group Normalised EBIT at RM433.0 million Group Reported Profit After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (PATAMI) was RM259.1 million; Group Normalised PATAMI stood at RM261.1 million Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) today announced its financial results for the first half of the year ended 30 June 2018. The Group posted revenue of RM5.78 billion year-to-date, 2.7% lower from RM5.94 billion in the corresponding period last year. This was primarily due to a decline in voice, data and other telecommunication related services as well as provisions recognised against wholesale revenue impacted by regulatory mandated access pricing. Group Reported Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) for 1H2018 was RM1.61 billion as compared to RM1.80 billion in 1H2017 mainly due to the lower revenue. Stripping off non-operational items, such as unrealised forex loss on trade settlement, Group Normalised EBITDA was 13.9% lower, at RM1.60 billion. Group Reported Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) for 1H2018 was RM444.5 million as compared to RM560.9 million in 1H2017. Stripping off some non-operational items, in particular unrealised foreign exchange loss on international trade settlement, normalised EBIT stood at RM433.0 million. Group Reported Profit After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (PATAMI) was at RM259.1 million, whilst Group Normalised PATAMI was RM261.1 million, after setting aside non-operational items such as unrealised forex impact on borrowings and international trade settlements. Datuk Bazlan Osman, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer, TM said: "The first six months of 2018 has been very challenging for us, from rapid developments in the market to increasing regulatory pressures. Given the current landscape, these events further add challenges to our financial performance. Being cognizant of the potential impact to TM, we had revised our 2018 Headline KPIs as well as Capex guidance in early July 2018. Alongside this revision, we also launched our Performance Improvement Programme (PIP 2018) as a broad initiative to overcome the headwinds. The PIP 2018 is guided by four (4) main pillars - Revenue Uplift, Sustained Profitability, Improved Cash Flow and Increased Productivity. We expect the regulatory and sector challenges to persist in the near-to-midterm and undertaking these PIP 2018 initiatives are necessary measures to ensure the sustainability of our business for the long term." The total capital expenditure (CAPEX) for 1H2018 amounted to RM710 million or equivalent to 12.3% of revenue. Of the total capex investment, 18% was allocated for Core Network, 59% was for Access, and the balance 23% for Support Systems. “Delivering convergence and going digital remains our priority. We will continue to focus on growth, yet be more prudent in our spending and sweat our existing assets. As such, we are also revising our capex guidance for the full year to 19 – 20% of revenue.” “We currently have 2.30 million broadband customers and in terms of convergence, we saw more customers moving up the value chain with having triple-play services and above, evidenced by our convergence penetration now at 47% compared to just 37% in 2Q 2017,” he added. At the media briefing, TM also announced that its unifi Basic plan, which is a 60GB broadband-only unifi plan will now be extended to everyone beginning September 2018 (no longer exclusive for households with income of less than RM4,500 per month). “Affordability and accessibility of quality highspeed broadband services is important to TM, and we are committed to lead the charge to unlock the potential of a digitally-savvy Malaysia. As such, we are happy to announce that we are extending the unifi basic plan to all,” he concluded. Comparison: Quarter-on-Quarter (2Q2018 vs 1Q2018 Results) For the current quarter under review, Group Revenue stood at RM2.94 billion, higher by 3.1% QoQ mainly attributed to an increase in data, internet and other telecommunication related services. Group EBITDA rose 10.3% QoQ to RM845.9 million from RM766.7 million the previous quarter. Stripping off non-operational items, such as unrealised forex loss on trade settlement, Group Normalised EBITDA was 5.9% higher, at RM823.4 million. Group EBIT grew by 27.2% QoQ to RM248.9 million from RM195.6 million in 1Q2018. On a normalised basis, EBIT improved by 9.6% QoQ to RM226.4 million from RM206.6 million in 1Q2018. Group PATAMI was at RM102.0 million, lower by 35.1% QoQ from RM157.1 million in the preceding quarter, whilst Group Normalised PATAMI was RM155.8 million QoQ, higher by 48.0% QoQ, after setting aside non-operational items such as unrealised foreign exchange impact on borrowings and international trade settlements. Comparison: Year-on-Year (2Q2018 vs 2Q2017 Results) For the current quarter under review, Group Revenue stood at RM2.94 billion, lower by 1.5% YoY mainly due to voice and data services. Group EBIT stood at RM248.9 million, lower by 3.2% YoY from RM257.1 million in 2Q2017. On a normalised basis, EBIT was lower by 25.6% YoY to RM226.4 million from RM304.5 million in 2Q2017. Group PATAMI stood at RM102.0 million, less 51.5% as compared to 2Q2017; whilst Normalised PATAMI also decreased 25.1% YoY to RM155.8 million from RM208.0 million in 2Q2017. Prospects for the Current Financial Year Ending 31 December 2018 The recent regulatory challenges and market environment have had major impact to the overall revenue estimates and earnings of TM Group in the current quarter. TM anticipates that the challenging environment will persist for both of our retail and wholesale segments. In the midst of these challenges, TM will continue our focus towards strengthening performance of our core business and operations.
NEWSLETTER
Just drop your details and stay updated with the world of Telekom Malaysia. We promise – no spam!