KUCHING: Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department (Corporate Affairs, Information & UKAS) Datuk Abdullah Saidol led a delegation from the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS) to pay a courtesy call on the Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg at the Satria Pertiwi Complex on Thursday.

During the visit, he gave a briefing on the organisation of the Sarawak Media Conference (SMeC) 2026, scheduled to take place on 16 July 2026 at the Pullman Hotel, Kuching.

The third edition of the conference is themed ‘Media, Trust and Governance in a Rapidly Evolving Digital World’ and is expected to be officiated by the Sarawak Premier as the guest of honour.

SMeC 2026 will feature a more interactive approach through various content including workshops, panel discussion forums and knowledge sharing sessions involving students from higher education institutions, media practitioners and communication professionals.

Through this approach, SMeC 2026 is expected to spark innovation, improve professional competence and strengthen the excellence of the media and communication ecosystem in Sarawak, thus expanding its impact to the regional level.

Additionally, the third edition of the conference also features three experienced panelists from various media, communication, academic and industry backgrounds to discuss issues related to media, public trust and governance in the rapidly growing digital world.

In the same courtesy visit, Datuk Abdullah who is also the Deputy Minister In-Charge of the townhall, shared the preparations of the Townhall Executive Committee in conjunction with the Sarawak Day Celebration 2026.

Also present during the courtesy visit were UKAS Director Awang Putrayusrie Awang Redzuan, UKAS Deputy Director Mohamed Faizal Shah Ali and senior UKAS officials. -UKASnews