KUCHING. July 8 2026: The development of data governance, artificial intelligence (AI), and new technologies in Sarawak are capable of delivering real impact to the people, subsequently reinforcing the state government's digital transformation agenda.
Sarawak Secretary Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki said the state is at a pivotal moment where these three elements are no longer merely complementary, but have instead become strategic assets to strengthen governance, elevate public service delivery, and position Sarawak as a digital economy leader.
“In relation to this, the Sarawak government has taken concrete steps to establish the necessary physical and digital foundations, including the development of data centres, connectivity hubs, cloud computing platforms, and high-performance computing capabilities, which encompass initiatives like the Kuching AI Data Campus.
“These investments clearly prove one thing—that Sarawak is not just talking about digital transformation, but is realizing it progressively, from individual infrastructure to a complete system,” he said at the launch eremony of the Sarawak Data Governance Framework (SDGF) 2026 here today.
According to him, the outcomes of Premier Abang Johari's recent official working visit to Bristol, United Kingdom, also illustrated how the semiconductor, aerospace, high-performance computing, and AI sectors depend on data that is trusted, secure, and well-governed.
He noted that these technologies have massive applications across Sarawak's various strategic sectors, including forestry, earth observation, disaster management, carbon tracking, maritime monitoring, and service delivery in rural areas.
Commenting on the role of civil servants, he emphasized that the Sarawak Civil Service (SCS) does not function merely as policy implementers, but also serves as policymakers, coordinators, and system designers that translate data into policy, information into decisions, and evidence into action.
Therefore, he added, every ministry and agency must ensure that government data remains consistent, secure, reliable, and responsibly shareable so that the SCS evolves into a data-guided, policy-driven, and future-ready institution.
He pointed out that without robust data governance, the government faces risks of fragmented systems, duplication of duties, inconsistent information, and weak inter-agency coordination.
“If the data used is weak, obsolete, or incomplete, then the generated outcomes will also be weak.
“That is why data governance is not just a technical requirement, but a public sector responsibility and a reflection of institutional discipline in ensuring data is managed with integrity, quality, and reliability,” he stressed further.
Among those present at the function were Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Digital Fabian Bigar, Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Operations) Hii Chang Kee, Deputy Attorney-General John Wayne Chamberlin Sirau, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunications (MUTS) Jafri Lias, Director of the Sarawak Civil Service Digitalisation Unit (SCSDU) Grace Huong Siew Hung and Director General of the National Digital Department Suhaila Jaafar
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