BY NURIN PATRA & ALEXANDRA LORNA
KUCHING: The 7th International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) 2024 drew approximately 2,500 attendees from various backgrounds today (Oct 16).
The attendees consist of delegates, speakers, invited guests, members of the public, and exhibitors, all eager to explore how Artificial Intelligence (Al) can drive sustainability and bolster economic development.
Featuring a total of 94 booths, the event not only showcased innovative AI solutions and facilitated discussions on how technology can support a more sustainable future and boost growth across key industries, but also included booths for handicrafts, education, networking, and more.
Earlier, after Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s opening speech, the ceremony was continued with a gimmick launching of IDECS 2024 and the launch of the Sarawak Digital Residency Programme and Sarawak Technology and Innovation Sandbox.
The Sarawak Digital Residency Programme and the Sarawak Technology and Innovation Sandbox have been established to attract global digital professionals and innovators as these initiatives provide a vibrant and supportive ecosystem where remote workers, international entrepreneurs, and startups can thrive and collaborate with local industries.
IDECS also witnessed the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Memorandums of Agreement (MoAs) emphasizing strategic collaborations for digital transformation, sustainability, and technological innovation in Sarawak.
The signing and exchange of the MoUs and MoAs were witnessed by Abang Johari at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching.
In a statements issued by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), among the MoUs signed were collaborations between SDEC and Telekom Malaysia (TM) Technology Services Sdn Bhd, SDEC and World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA); SDEC, Centre of Technology Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS), and Angkasa-X; SDEC and Powerplants Australia; SDEC and Kintone Southeast Asia Sdn Bhd; as well as cooperation between SDEC, MRANTI, Tegas, and StartUp Borneo.
Other MoUs signed included agreements between the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) and Plum Consulting LLP; SMA and MEASAT; Sarawak Information Systems (SAINS) and MSC Trustgate; Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) also signed a cooperation agreement with NetRunner, and a multi-party agreement involving Silicon Catalyst LLC, Siemens Electronic Design Automation Pte. Ltd., Cambridge Microelectronics Limited, The Hive Climate AI, and Weeteq.
Additionally, a MoA was signed between CENTEXS, Huawei, Greenbay, and Solarvest at the conference to establish a Hyperscale Green Data Center Training Facility for talent development.
The Sarawak government also signed an MoU with the Malaysian Immigration Department, marking an important step in the integration of the Foreign Worker Transformation System and the Malaysian Immigration System.
The conference also honoured Malaysian tech scale-up Pandai Education for winning the WITSA World Cup Tournament and receiving the Zohari Challenge Trophy at the 28th World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT) 2024, with Pandai Education chief executive officer Khairul Anwar accepting the award.
Meanwhile, Entomal Biotech Sdn Bhd, an alumnus of Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) Digital Village Accelerator (DiVA) programme, secured the Silver Medal.
