KUCHING: Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS) will organise the one-day Digital Government Exchange (DGX) 2026 on Sept 10, bringing together government and technology practitioners from Sarawak and several countries to exchange knowledge and experiences in digital transformation.
SAINS chief executive officer Busiai Seman said the conference would provide a specialised platform for government representatives and technology players to share digital solutions and approaches adopted in their respective countries.
“DGX 2026 is a very specialised conference because we are bringing together organisations, especially state governments, from places such as Singapore, the Philippines and Brunei to share their experiences in implementing digital technology to support their current operations.
“The gist of this conference is enabling people to exchange the systems that have been used in their respective countries,” he said during a press conference on DGX 2026 here today (Aug 17).
The conference will be held at voco Kuching by IHG and will feature key speakers from Malaysia and the region.
Among those invited are Eyung Lim from Singapore’s GovTech, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) chief executive officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil, Ministry of Digital secretary-general Datuk Fabian Bigar and Sarawak Civil Service Digitalisation Unit (SCSDU) deputy director Adrian Chung.
Busiai said DGX 2026 would focus on several key areas, including artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven technology, cybersecurity and digital trust, the role of government in the digital economy, as well as rural connectivity.
“Another area we will discuss is rural connectivity, particularly network connectivity. We want to explore technologies that can enable people in rural areas to benefit from the latest technology to support their day-to-day operations,” he said.
He said the conference would primarily involve government servants from both the Federal and Sarawak governments, while members of the public would also be able to participate.
Technology companies would also be invited to showcase their latest solutions during the event, providing participants with an opportunity to explore technologies that could potentially be adopted locally.
Busiai said the exchange would work both ways, with international participants sharing their experiences while Malaysian and Sarawak representatives could also share their own approaches and solutions.
“For example, participants from Singapore will share the technologies they are using, which could potentially be adopted by Malaysia and Brunei. Likewise, participants from the Philippines have their own technologies and systems which they can share with people in Malaysia,” he said.
He said the conference is part of SAINS’ efforts to facilitate greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing in digital government, particularly as governments increasingly rely on technology to improve services and operations.
Meanwhile, SAINS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam said the conference is among the important platforms reflecting Sarawak’s continued emphasis on information technology and scientific advancement.
He said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg had consistently demonstrated strong interest in IT and the advancement of science, particularly the growing role of AI.
“Today, we have been able to show him some of the aspects that we have been working on, and we have promised him that we will keep up with his belief that IT will be the future and that AI will play an increasingly important role as we move forward,” he said.
The conference will also create a practical channel for comparing regional digital-government systems, with technology showcases helping participants assess which solutions could be adapted for Sarawak while strengthening cross-border knowledge exchange.
