KUCHING: Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian urges the society to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) because it has become part of our daily lives, lest we will get left behind.
Dr Sim said this in his speech before witnessing the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) exchange ceremony between Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and Biotective Sdn Bhd, a digital healthcare division under Ubisson Sdn Bhd.
Both entities have entered into a MoA to conduct research and development works on a Next Generation Disease Resources Centre (NXDRC).
“AI has made massive progress thus far. In comparison to last year, AI was not able to hear however, this year, AI has the ability to hear and one day it would be able to see,” he enthused.
“I’m very proud of Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and Biotective Sdn Bhd for being able to spot this opportunity,” he said.
Through the signing of MoA between Swinburne Sarawak and Ubisson in 2021, a digital healthcare platform, BioTective Disease Resource Centre (DRC), was successfully developed to focus on local content, requirements, virtual healthcare services and healthcare management.
“Hopefully the standards of AI are not ‘jungles of Borneo’ standard, but we must be smart enough and pride ourselves that the ‘jungles of Borneo’ has produced a quality AI and ask, how about yours?,” he said during his address.
Dr Sim said the healthcare industry and most parts of the developing world were heavily investing in AI and he anticipates that in the next ten years there will be plenty of breakthroughs in healthcare because of AI.
As the Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government, he has called out academicians to play a part to educate younger generations and future talents in nation building.
“Nation building is about talents, education and the young people. We need everyone to play their parts, the private sector to make it happen,” he added.
“Together we can nation-build, so I hope Swinburne University and academicians understands that in 2026, when the state implements free tertiary education policy, it will be an unprecedented opportunity and a heavy responsibility to embrace,” he said with regards to Sarawak’s free education initiative with Swinburne University being one of the five institutions involved.
The MoA exchange ceremony held at Swinburne Sarawak was signed by Prof Lau Hieng Ho representing Swinburne Sarawak and Peter Ting Yiik Pung representing BioTective, yesterday.
During the event, Dr Sim also launched the ‘Swinburne AI & Digital Empowerment Programme’, an innovative programme aim to equip companies and the industry with knowledge and tools necessary to harness the transformative power of AI and digital solutions.
Among those present at the ceremony were Swinburne Sarawak Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) Prof Dr Ida Fatimawati Adi Badiozaman as well as Swinburne Sarawak Pro Vice-Chancellor and chief executive officer (CEO) Prof Lau Hieng Ho.
After the event signing ceremony, Dr Sim and other guests had a walkabout around the university to observe the university’s new buildings, such as the Borneo Atrium, a newly constructed block and the extended library which would be able to facilitate more students.
