KUCHING: Sarawak has launched a centralised data intelligence platform to guide the next phase of its business events industry through data, market intelligence and collaboration.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Sarawak Business Events Analytics and Collaboration Network (Sarawak BEACON) would give the state a clearer picture of the industry and help identify future opportunities.
He said the platform would also strengthen collaboration across the business events ecosystem and support better-informed decisions.
“More importantly, it will help us better understand and demonstrate the value that business events create for Sarawak.
“If the first 20 years were about building the industry, BEACON represents the intelligence we need to guide its next twenty,” he said in a speech delivered by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian at the Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) 20th anniversary gala at a local hotel here, last night.
Abang Johari said greater ambition in the sector must be supported by better decisions based on data, intelligence, collaboration and evidence rather than instinct alone.
He said Sarawak would also seek to spread business events opportunities beyond Kuching by developing Miri, Sibu and Bintulu according to their respective economic and sectoral strengths.
Miri, he said, could leverage its strengths in energy and tourism, while Sibu could build on its role in education, community and industry.
Bintulu, meanwhile, is strategically positioned around Sarawak’s major energy and industrial activities.
“We should not try to make every city the same. Instead, we should identify what each city can be known for, build the right capability around those strengths, and connect the right events with the right destination,” he said.
This approach, he added, could extend economic opportunities across Sarawak, strengthen local businesses and develop local talent.
Abang Johari said future business events should also increasingly complement sectors Sarawak is seeking to develop, including semiconductors, energy, digital technology and healthcare.
He said bringing relevant international experts and communities into Sarawak could facilitate knowledge exchange, partnerships, investment and talent development.
The state is also strengthening its capacity through the expansion of the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, additional hotels and venues, improved regional connectivity and the development of the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system.
Abang Johari said these developments should collectively strengthen Sarawak’s ability to compete for larger international events and turn them into longer-term economic, social and developmental opportunities.
