KUCHING, Oct 5 2026: Premier Abang Johari Openg has said that the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy 2018 to 2022 has provided an early framework for Sarawak's digital transformation journey government, business, infrastructure, innovation and human capital.
He said the initiatives that the state government is pursuing today in Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors and other advanced technologies are built on this established direction.
"They represent the next stage of Sarawak's efforts to use technology not only to improve how we work, but also to strengthen our economy and create new areas of value," he saidat the opening of the 9th edition of the International Digital Economy Conference (IDEC 2026) at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
The premier said that the Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre (SAIC) is playing a central role in advancing Sarawak’s AI agenda, bringing together the development of AI capabilities, infrastructure. talent, applications and trusted infrastructure.
"This direction is being further shaped through the Sarawak AI Blueprint 2026 to 2030, which is currently being developed to provide a coordinated approach to AI development across government, industry, academia and research.
"The Sarawak Sovereign AI Infrastructure Platform, officially launched in August this year, establishes a foundation for locally governed AI computing and the secure management, governance and protection of strategic government data," he added.
He said by bringing data, computing and AI capabilities under a more integrated and locally governed environment, it can reduce dependence on external platforms while strengthening Sarawak’s capacity to develop and deploy AI for its own priorities.
"This is not only about data protection. It is about turning data into a strategic asset for better decision-making and service delivery," he explained.
He said the platform can support applications such as smarter urban planning and more efficient development processes, while providing a foundation for wider AI applications across government and the economy.
He said the state government will also develop the Kuching AI Data Campus in Tanjung Embang as a catalyst for the next phase of Sarawak’s AI ecosystem, saying that the campus will be supported by dedicated power and water infrastructure, AI computing facilities and digital connectivity nodes, and will be developed through a public-private partnership approach.
The premier said the campus is intended to provide the physical foundation for the development of an AI Grid, while creating a platform to attract investment, strengthen our data-centre ecosystem and support the growth of AI-related businesses and capabilities in Sarawak.
"Alongside this, the AI Grid is being developed to connect computing resources and make use of Sarawak’s renewable energy capacity. stating that taken together, these initiatives represent progression from strategy to infrastructure, and from infrastructure to application. Their significance lies in our ability to apply AI responsibly to Sarawak’s priorities.
He noted that ADAM AI, developed for the Sarawak Civil Service, provides one practical example of this approach, saying that it demonstrates how AI can be applied within government to work with authorised information, support policy analysis, and improve the way we prepare documents, assess scenarios and make decisions.
The premier believed the potential extends beyond government, pointing out that the same capabilities can also be adapted across industries where Sarawak has distinctive needs and strengths.
"But technology capabilities do not develop in isolation. Infrastructure, talent, research, industry, investment and access to markets need to reinforce one another if ideas are to move from research and experimentation into products, services and businesses.
"For Sarawak, this means creating an environment where a researcher can develop an idea, where a company can test and commercialise it, where investors can support its growth, and where the resulting product or service can find markets beyond Sarawak. 30. It is through this connection between knowledge, capability, investment and markets that innovation can move beyond an idea and become economic value," he stressed.
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