TEN headliners have been identified as the main attractions for the Penang TECHFEST2020 in September next year.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the international technology festival which would be happening from Sept 11 to 20 next year (2020), is all about experiencing the latest innovation and technology from all around the world.
“Buildings and streets in Penang will be turned into technology showcase sites where networking, competitions, panel discussions and immersive trials with emerging technology will take place during the 10-day festival.
“The festival aims to connect and to bring together an ecosystem of technologies, solutions, consumers and key decision makers.
“Ten headliners have been identified to be the crowd-puller. The first headline is the 24th World Congress on Information Technology 2020 (WCIT2020). The WCIT2020 is touted to be the Olympic-level conference for information technology.
“The WCIT2020 will take place at Setia SPICE Convention and Exhibition Centre from Sept 13 to 16 next year,” Chow told a press conference at his office in Komtar today.
Chow said the other nine headlines for Penang TECHFEST2020 include ‘5G Zone’, ‘Esports’, ‘Future Cities Connect’, ‘When Heritage, Arts and Culture Meet Tech’, ‘The Future of Travel Technology’ and ‘Intelligent Mobility and Transport’.
The Penang TECHFEST2020 is a state’s initiative jointly organised by the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) and strategically enabled by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
It targets six main areas, namely, digital lifestyle, ethical technology, experiential technology, social and interactive, business transformation and urban innovation.
Meanwhile, Chow said that Malaysia last hosted the WCIT in 2008.
“The Kuala Lumpur WCIT2008 secured a total sales and investments of RM8.3 billion with more than 20,000 jobs created.
“The WCIT2020 is expected to draw 4,000 visionaries, captains of the industry, government leaders and academicians,” he said.
Also present during the press conference were state Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang Global Tourism (PGT) chief executive officer Ooi Chok Yan and Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang.
Joining them were Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chief digital officer Gerard Lim Kim Meng, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Datuk Ng Wan Peng, PIKOM chairman Danny Lee and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Penang head Hasjun Hashim.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis
Video by Ahmad Adil Muhamad