In the pandemic era, attending online classes are a norm for students.
However, not many students are lucky enough to have sufficient internet coverage in the areas they live, making it much more difficult for them to follow such classes.
One such person is Anis Arina Aqilah Roslee, who had to endure hardships just to get some decent internet coverage to attend her online classes.
According to a report in Free Malaysia Today, the 23-year-old from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris had been getting into her car and driving to the nearest village for internet coverage to be present at her online class from February 2020.
The situation was made worse after the telecommunications tower in her village in Telupid, Sabah got destroyed in a fire accident on March 25.
“I travel between 10km and 15km every day from Jalan Tawai to Entolibon so I can get internet connection,” she told the news portal.
Anis’s plight came to light after a video of herself following her online class as she sat in the boot of her car, went viral on social media.
Despite the situation, Anis is blessed with an understanding lecturer.
“The lecturer told me that if I cannot make it for class, it is ok. My safety is of utmost importance, and they will help provide notes as they know I cannot access the website,” she said.
Regarding the fire-destroyed telecommunications tower, Anis said her village residents had lodged a complaint with the authorities but were told that a new transmission tower need items that had to be brought in from West Malaysia.
The report also said that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and a telecommunications company are trying to help provide restore internet coverage in the area.