THE Sarawak government has expressed keen interest in collaborating with the Penang government in talent development to boost the nation’s digital economy.
Its Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said that Penang, as an established state in the electrical and electronics (E&E) industry and other key economic sectors, including information technology, can potentially link up with Sarawak to further strengthen the nation’s digital economy drive.
“Sarawak is a major contributor to Malaysia’s energy sector, primarily through oil and gas production, as well as hydropower generation.
“The continuous development of infrastructure in Sarawak, exemplified by initiatives like the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), underscores its aspiration to emerge as a key economic centre in the region.
“Penang is special in its way, and we have the energy to complement their existing strong areas.
“In Sarawak, we are moving forward the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030, and as for Penang, they are also working hard in implementing various projects under the state’s Penang2030 vision,” Abang Johari said in his speech during the opening ceremony of the 27th World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT) and the 6th International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS), known as WCIT|IDECS 2023 at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
The three-day programme, organised by the Sarawak government, officially started today and will conclude on Oct 6 (Friday).
The event was also attended by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Batu Lancang assemblyman Ong Ah Teong, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, World, Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) chairman Dr Sean Seah and other representatives from the Sarawak government and other relevant agencies.
Abang Johari, during his speech, thanked Chow and his delegation for attending this year’s WCIT|IDECS 2023 in Sarawak.
Penang hosted the WCIT 2022 last year, which attracted thousands of attendees, including industry leaders and renowned speakers from all over the world.
This year, Sarawak was not shy of a pool of individuals that thronged the event space, with over 160 booths set up by many digitally-driven companies, displaying their cutting-edge technologies.
Meanwhile, in response to Abang Johari’s comments earlier, Chow said that without a strong talent pool, it will be difficult to materialise plans in the pipeline.
“In Penang, we have an ongoing concern of having enough talent to meet our rapidly evolving industries, but we have a few platforms, such as Penang STEM, Penang Skills Development Centre and several others actively engaged to address the issue of talent.
“It is an issue we want to tackle, and as with the collaboration with Sarawak, we hope to explore opportunities that will allow us to accelerate and boost the nation’s digital economy,” Chow said in a brief press conference earlier.
Story and pix by Kevin Vimal