No mention of Malaysian internet history would be complete without mentioning Dr Mohamed Awang Lah, arguably the closest thing to being the father of the Malaysian internet. A lot of what Malaysia takes for granted today all started with a research network that he led.
What is less known is that Dr Mohamed Awang Lah wrote a 10 part series on this memories of bringing the Internet to Malaysia, and Jaring. I decided to take a stab at translating such an important part of history, so that at least it would live on.
All credit goes to Dr Mohamed Awang Lah. I just translated.
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JARING Dalam Kenangan (Bahagian 3)
August 23, 2015 at 11:24am
Source: https://www.facebook.com/notes/mohamed-awang-lah/jaring-dalam-kenangan-bahagian-3/10205940589208780
1. Talian tetap menggunakan satelit dipasang dan beroperasi pada bulan November 1992 (dilancarkan secara rasmi pada bulan Jan 1993 - lihat gambar). Kelajuannya hanya 64kbps tetapi pada masa itu, kelajuan biasanya sekitar 1 hingga 2 kbps sahaja.Kalau tak silap kosnya melebihi RM300 ribu setahun.Sambungan dibuat melalui Kuantan ke Stockton (USA).Dengan itu bermulalah rangkaian Internet yang sebenarnya.Nama "JARING" (atau NET) telah dijelmakan pada tahun 1990/91 apabila peruntukan diluluskan oleh EPU untuk RMK-6 (1991-1995).Ia merupakan singkatan kepada "Joint Advanced Research Intergrated NetworkinG project".
1. The first dedicated satellite circuit was installed and operational by November 1992 (and formally launched in January 1993 – refer to picture below). It was provisioned as a 64kbps circuit, however in practice actual speeds were around 1 to 2 kbps. If memory serves me right it cost RM300,000/a year at the time. The link was made via Kuantan to Stockton (USA). With this Malaysia was formally connected to the wider internet. The name “JARING” (or NET) was conceptualised around 1990/91 when a business case was approved by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) for the 6th Malaysian Plan (1991-1995). JARING was an ancronym for "Joint Advanced Research Intergrated NetworkinG Project".
2. Bila diimbas kembali, cara kita berkomunikasi 30 tahun dahulu hanyalah dengan menggunakan telefon dan surat. Kalau nak cepat guna teleks atau telegram - itu pun memakan masa berhari-hari untuk berinteraksi.PC dan faks baru sahaja mula diperkenalkan pada masa itu.Ramai tak mampu. Jadi bila e-mel diperkenalkan pada akhir tahun 80'an ia merupakan satu revolusi era komunikasi jarak jauh. Menggunakan e-mel, soalan dan jawapan boleh dibuat dalam masa beberapa jam sahaja, kadang-kadang hanya beberapa minit. Dengan e-mel, ia percuma dan kita tak perlu tahu bagaimana ia sampai ditempat yang dituju. Kalau satu jalan tak boleh dilalui, jalan alternatif akan dicari. Kalau tak sampai juga, ia akan dikembalikan.
2. Reflecting on the past, the way of communication in the 30 years prior to that was primarily via telephone calls or mailed letters. If time was of the essence telex or telegrams were sent – and even then it took days of back and forthing to interact. PC’s and fax machines were only starting to appear at that time. They were not accessible to the masses. So when email was introduced in the late 80’s it was a revolution in long distance communications. Questions asked via email could be answered in hours, sometimes even in minutes. Email was also free and there was no need to worry how it would arrive at its intended destination. If a routing path was not accessible, it would find another alternative path. If it could not be delivered, a bounce back message would inform the sender of the inability to deliver.
3. Dengan menggunakan Internet, tidak ada pengawal atau konduktor. Masing-masing melaksanakan teknologi yang boleh didapati secara terbuka dan percuma. Mereka sedia berkerjasama dan membantu antara satu dengan lain. Yang mengambil bahagian sedia berkongsi masalah dan penyelesaian.Itulah semangat kerja.Melaksanakan Internet adalah seperti anai-anai membina sebuat busut.Masing-masing buat kerja sedikit demi sedikit dan akhirnya busut yang besar terbina.
3. The internet has no gatekeeper or conductor. Everyone [on the internet] implemented technological standards which can be obtained freely and openly. Internet users [then] would work together and assist each other with their challenges and solutions. That was the ethic of the internet [at the time], not unlike ants building an ant nest: everyone performed their little task and eventually a massive ant’s nest becomes a reality.
4. Pada awal tahun 90'an belum ada web. Semua maklumat berbentuk teks sahaja. Gambar dihantar dalam bentuk fail. Jadi talian 64kbps boleh menampung keperluan pengguna Internet selama hampir 2 tahun bila talian menjadi terlalu sesak dan terpaksa dipertingkatkan kepada 1.5 Mbps - 24 kali ganda lebih laju - dengan menggunakan kabel dasar laut. Ini adalah satu peristiwa besar dan PM sendiri yang melancarkannya (lihat gambar).Web mula diguna sekitar tahun 1994/95.Talian 1.5 Mbps hanya boleh bertahan kurang setahun.Sambungan dipertingkatkan pula kepada 2x2Mbs.Itu pun tak cukup.Era letupan Internet bermula.
4. In the early 90’s the Web (HTTP) did not exist yet. All information was solely in text. Images were exchanged as files. The initial 64kbps circuit served the [Malaysian] internet user base for 2 years before congestion saw it upgraded to 1.5 Mbps - 24 times faster – using submarine cables. It was a momentous occasion at the time with the Prime Minister himself officiating the occasion (picture below). The Web (HTTP) started to be used around 1994/95. The upgraded 1.5 Mbps was at capacity in less than a year. The link was upgraded to 2x2Mbps. Even then capacity problems continued. The era of the explosive growth of the internet had begun.
5. Sekitar tahun 1996/97, negara kita bersaing dengan beberapa negara lain untuk menjadi tuan rumah kepada persidangan antarabangsa INET'97. Tetapi talian 4 Mbps atau 8 Mbps tak cukup.Jadi kita lompat kepada 45 Mbps.Satu lompatan yang sangat tinggi.Ia berjaya dipasang sebelum bermulanya INET'97. Lebih 200 buah PC dipasang di PWTC untuk kegunaan peserta persidangan yang mencecah hampir seribu orang dengan tema "The Internet: The Global Frontier". Lihat gambar.
5. Around 1996/97, Malaysia was bidding against other nations to be the host of INET'97. But a 4 Mbps or 8 Mbps link would not be sufficient for this. So a jump to a 45 Mbps (T3) link was done. This was a massive jump which was achieved before the opening ceremony of INET'97. More than 200 PC’s were deployed at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) for use of the 1000 INET'97 attendees under the theme "The Internet: The Global Frontier". See picture below.
6. Banyak soalan timbul di Parlimen yang terpaksa di jawab kerana kesesakan Internet. Kerajaan mula mengeluarkan lesen kepada syarikat telekomunikasi pada tahun 1996.JARING adalah penerima lesen ISP yang pertama. JARING terpaksa bergantung kepada talian yang dibekalkan oleh syarikat telekomunikasi lain (juga memiliki lesen) yang mula melihat JARING sebagai satu ancaman. Maka bermulalah persekitaran persaingan yang kurang sihat. Mungkin saya akan ceritakan satu masa nanti.
6. Many questions were raised in the Malaysian parliament regarding internet congestion. The Malaysian government issued [ISP] licences to telecommunication companies in 1996. Jaring was the first recipient [of an ISP license]. However Jaring was dependent on the telecommunications infrastructure of other telecommunication companies (which also had ISP licenses) and started to see Jaring as a threat. And thus began an environment of unhealthy competition in the ISP space. But that’s another story for another day.
