PHOTO: AHMAD ISKANDAR
KUCHING: High-speed Internet that will be adapted by the state, including in rural areas, will be fully enjoyed within the next two years.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said in a move towards the direction, the state government will create its own Internet portal while working with Indonesia and Brunei.
“The Internet will reduce the gap between rural and urban areas,” he said, pointing out that the demographic population of the rural population is taken into consideration to improve the speed of the Internet in a particular area.
He said this in a press conference after chairing the Dialogue Session with Industry and Business Leaders on Sarawak Digital Economy at Wisma Bapa Malaysia in Petra Jaya here, yesterday.
In realising the wish, Johari told, the state government will use a new alternative to link high-speed Internet between the urban and the rural areas.
According to him, the alternative will be developed but should be phased out.
In this regard, Johari said the state government would make China’s Internet network model which had connected southern China, Shenzhen up to Tian Jian as an example to be implemented in the state.
“We can use the model (for the rural areas) but what is more important is the central maintenance area,” he added.
The Chief Minister said the dialogue session also discussed the use of applications in the Internet to produce and market their own entrepreneurial products (seamless products).
As a sign of support for youth-driven products through creativity and innovation, Johari announced that the state government will set up innovative hubs in other parts of the state.
“We have set up an innovation hub in Kuching which is at iCom Square and two days ago, an innovation hub has also launched in Sarikei,” he said, adding that other districts to be built with the hubs are in Betong, Bintulu, Miri and Lawas.
Johari is convinced that the innovation hubs in these areas will link innovation between urban and rural areas.
“The state government will also introduce the Sarawak Multimedia Authority which will oversee all activities and factors that drive Sarawak towards Digital Economy,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Johari also disclosed that the dialogue also discussed the state government’s Digital Economy initiatives, the Sarawak Digital Economy Ecosystem and its implementation plan through 17 areas which included Legislation and Governance; Digital Government; Digital Data; Cyber Security; Digital Infrastructure; Agriculture; Tourism; Manufacturing;
E-Commerce and Services; Health; Physical Infrastructure and Utilities; Housing and Urban Development; Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain; Talent Management; Digital Village; Centre of Excellence and Community Digital Gap.
The dialogue session attended by the Chief Minister and other cabinet ministers also had gathered some 60 industry experts from the government and private sectors as well as 20 senior civil servants to share the state’s digital initiatives and inputs.
Also present were Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Assistant Minister of Entrepreneur and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Development Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais.
