MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd. (formerly known as Binariang Satellite Systems Sdn. Bhd.) announced in November 2005 the execution of a contract for the procurement of the MEASAT-1R spacecraft from Orbital Sciences Corporation. MEASAT-1R will provide high-powered C and Ku-band capacity over Malaysia, Indonesia, and the wider Asia-Pacific region. In early 2008, the satellite was renamed MEASAT-3a.

The MEASAT-1R satellite will employ 12 C-band and 12 Ku-band transponders, each providing 36 MHz of bandwidth, over a 15-year minimum service life. The MEASAT-1R C-band payload, providing a global single beam covering Eastern Africa, The Middle East, Asia, and Australia, has been designed to support the next generation of telecommunications and video services. The Ku-band payload, with two focused beams providing coverage over Malaysia and Indonesia, will support new Direct to Home (“DTH”) video and data services.