Abang Johari says would like Sarawak to be Innovation Lab for South-east Asia region

MELBOURNE, Australia, July 26, 2017 - Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said today that he would like Sarawak to be an “innovation lab” in South-east Asia region that will explore and come up with new ideas and develop new ways of doing things.

Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg and members of the Sarawak delegation being briefed by officials from Swinburne University

He said this in his speech to thank Swinburne University in conjunction with his study visit to the university at its campus here.

“This is my personal ambition for Sarawak,” said Abang Johari who is currently leading a delegation of state  government and university officials on a weeklong study tour of Melbourne and Tasmania.

Earlier, he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the university on the field of research and development in collaboration with the university’s branch campus and other local universities in Kuching.

The signing of the MoU was followed by briefings by officials of the university on current research projects of the university’s branch campus in Kuching, the way forward to creating a culture of innovation in the society, transport innovation and the development of digital technology.

Later, he and members of his delegation were taken on a guided tour of the “Factory of the Future” facility at the campus that showcases digital and technological innovation to create an autonomous factory environment.

Abang Johari said for a start in view of the large oil palm development in Sarawak the collaborative effort should look at creating a machine that not only can pick and transport fresh fruit bunches (FFB) but having the ability to determine precisely the ripeness of FFB.

He said if such a machine can be developed and made available to the industry it would not only cut the extensive labour needed but at the same time reduce dependence on foreign labour and increase productivity.

He expressed his belief that such a machine has good market potentials particularly in the BIMP-EAGA  where oil palm is a major cash crop.

Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari (second left) with Victoria State's Governor Linda Dessau, State Secretary Tan Sri Morshidi Ghani and Consul General of Malaysia to Melbourne Westmoreland Palon (left)

Abang Johari said he was impressed with a research being carried out at the university on  human DNA compositions that would lead to identification of certain types of protein that can be used to repair human DNA.

In view of this, he said Sarawak’s rich biodiversity might have a lot to offer to the effort to identify and produce protein required to repair diseased DNA and provide impetus to find innovative treatment of cancer.

“The ideas might sound farfetched but it is not impossible and can happen one day with technological advancement,” he said.

Later, in the afternoon the Chief Minister paid a courtesy call on Victoria’s Governor, Linda Dessau at her official residence.

He was accompanied during the visit by State Secretary Tan Sri Morshidi  Abdul Ghani, Consul-General of Malaysia in Melbourne Westmoreland Palon and Principal Private Secretary Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad.

During  the visit Abang Johari presented the Governor with gifts of handwoven Iban Pua Kumbu scarf, Orang Ulu bead necklace and a Sarawak travel book and he officially invited the Governor to visit Sarawak.

This was followed by calls on Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Asia Engagement, Hong Lim and Commissioner for Victoria to South East Asia, Jeff Brett.

Meanwhile, members of the state delegation took part in a roundtable discussion hosted by the state government of Victoria.

Among the topics covered in the workshop were ICT and technology development, connected cities and public wi-fi programme, strategic communication and engagement and protocol and transport innovation, investment and engagement. ends