KUCHING: Five memorandums of understanding (MoU) and four memorandums of agreement (MoA) were exchanged during the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (Idecs) 2020.
The exchanges were witnessed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who officiated at the opening ceremony at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, IDECS 2020 was held in a hybrid manner, with a controlled number of 500 participants physically attending the event at BCCK while the rest attended virtually via webinars. The total numbers of expected delegates was 4,500 — double that of last year due to the availability of the digital platform.
The first MoU to be exchanged virtually was between Sarawak Centre of Performance Excellence (Scope) and the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT).
The MoU was to highlight the role of MBOT as the certification body for technologists in Malaysia as well as to appoint Scope as the technical expert panel for programme accreditation and training centre for working professionals as ‘technology specialist’ and ‘technology certification’ in Sarawak.
There was also a virtual MoU signing ceremony between the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) and Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. This collaboration is on the development of the SDEC-Huawei hybrid cloud platform.
An MoA between SDEC and Mynic Berhad, involving small and medium enterprise (SME) digitalisation, digital presence, and building local digitalisation services, was also exchanged.
SDEC also virtually exchanged an MoA with Xperanti Solutions (M) Sdn Bhd. With this agreement, both parties will set up Sigfox Internet of Things (IoT) testbed at the Centre of Excellence Open Lab, Santubong.
The first MoU to be exchanged physically at the IDECS 2020 opening ceremony was between SDEC and Merdeka Waterfront Hotel Sdn Bhd, whereby both parties will form a joint working group to explore the development of the integrated digital hotel management system.
This was followed by an MoA exchanged between SDEC and ARX Media Sdn Bhd (ARX) — a partnership on software development enhancement via facial recognition for Qmunity public check-in in place of QR codes.
Sacofa Sdn Bhd also exchanged MoUs with PP Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (PPTEL) and Danawa Resources Sdn Bhd (Danawa) respectively.
The MoU with PPTEL was to explore collaboration on telecommunication infrastructure initiatives to benefit Sarawak, while the MoU with Danawa was to explore collaboration on fixed wireless access to provide internet connectivity to rural communities in Sarawak.
Lastly, the State Human Resource Unit exchanged an MoA with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), in which both parties will collaborate in developing digital talent of the government through the implementation of Master in Information Technology Management.
IDECS 2020 featured two keynote speakers on the first day, namely Professor Stephane Garelli, an Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Management Development (IMD) Lausanne, and Randi Zuckerberg, founder and creative director of Zuckerberg Media.
Throughout the two-day conference, numerous experts also presented a range of topics relating to digital economy.
Driven by the need for Sarawak to have a thriving society by 2030, this year’s theme, ‘Data and Innovation in Accelerating Social and Economic Prosperity’, was anchored on three pillars —economic prosperity, inclusive society, and environmental sustainability.
The conference served as a platform for opportunities to explore and exchange ideas as well as to discuss issues related to the development, implementation, use and management of emerging technologies, and the move towards ‘gig economy’.
