KUCHING: The development of data governance, artificial intelligence (AI), and new technologies in Sarawak is capable of delivering real impact to the people, subsequently reinforcing the state government's digital transformation agenda.

Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar 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 remarked.

He said this while speaking at the Officiating and Launching Ceremony of the Sarawak Data Governance Framework (SDGF) 2026 here on Wednesday.

According to him, the outcomes of the Sarawak Premier'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.

Also present were the Secretary General of the Malaysian Ministry of Digital Datuk Fabian Bigar, Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Operations) Datu Hii Chang Kee, Deputy Sarawak Attorney-General Datu John Wayne Chamberlin Sirau, Permanent Secretary of the Sarawak Ministry of Utility and Telecommunications (MUTS) Datu Jafri Lias, Director of the Sarawak Civil Service Digitalisation Unit (SCSDU) Datu Grace Huong Siew Hung, Deputy General Manager of Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) Ts Dr Suhaila Jaafar; alongside Heads of Departments. — UKASnews

Translator: Ryan Lim