By Simon Peter
KUCHING, July 17, 2017 - A Bill to formalise the
establishment of a Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) will be tabled at the Budget
session of the state assembly in November, Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang
Johari Tun Abang Openg said today.
Chief Minister : SMA will empower the state government to set up Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation as an implementing agency
He said SMA will empower the state government to create
Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation as an implementing agency.
"SDEC will coordinate all digital economy
initiatives including infrastructure, e-government, e-commerce, talent
development and cyber security," the chief minister said at the launch
of Big Day In Sarawak at Swinburne
University of Technology, Sarawak campus here.
He also witnessed the signing of Memorandum of
Understanding between Swinburne University and Australian Computers Society for
collaboration in areas of ICT development and adaption of IT and its related
fields in the industry in the state.
Abang Johari said
Sarawak will have to be on par with the rest of the world in the latest
regulations and registration in respect of multimedia development.
He added the state needs to deploy its cyber defence
system against cyber attacks.
"In other words, we need a lot of people who are
experts in cyber security and this is a new discipline and I hope that
institutions of higher learning,
including Swinburne University, will have a programme for us to produce cyber
security experts in order to defence our cyber system," the chief minister
said.
"This is the purpose of defending our information
and the uses of our technology, we have to have experts as well who can monitor
any attack that in our way," he said.
He said while establishing a digital economy for Sarawak
may be a long and challenging journey, he is confident that with the support of
business and industry, institutions of higher learning such as Swinburne, and
professional bodies, each contributing their areas of expertise, Sarawak will
be able to achieve its goal of a digital economy.
He urged young people to have an understanding of the
importance and impact of digital technology on people's life so that they could
plan ahead for their career.
"We have seen for the past many years how travel,
retail, transportation, manufacturing, healthcare and banking have been
transformed by information and communication technology (ICT)," he said,
adding that this transformation is continuing at breakneck speed, and it
appears unstoppable.
He added the ongoing adoption of digitization of content
and software–driven services by consumers, enterprises and governments has made
ICT a pivotal economic driver for growth and job creation.
"This is a fact that cannot be denied," he
said.
He applauded Swinburne Sarawak and the ACS for coming
together in a MoU to work on facilitating the recognition of a skilled ICT
professional workforce as a key driver for national productivity, innovation
and well-being.
" This move is commendable in view of the MSC Talent
Supply-Demand study 2013-2017 which had reported that there will be a shortage
of 5,000 to 7,000 ICT graduates from 2014 to 2017.
"The Manpower Group’s Talent Shortage Survey 2015
found that IT staff are ranked fifth in terms of most difficult-to-fill jobs
for the Asia-Pacific region," he said, adding that globally, a shortfall
in ICT professionals is also expected.
Abang Johari said with the Sarawak government having set
its sights on developing the state’s economy into a digital one, we need to get
our young people interested in and on board ICT or related careers.
"As the government cannot do this on its own, we
call on the various organisations to work with schools and institutions of
higher learning - perhaps through offers of internship opportunities and the
awarding of scholarship - to create interest in and participation by our young
people in ICT," he added.
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