BINTULU: A total of 247 youths from Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei gathered physically and virtually at the TEGAS Digital Innovation Hub Bintulu for a two-day training series focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital leadership.
Organised by Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS) and known as the International Putra Bakti YLE-KUUB @ Youth Digital 2.0: AI4Youth – Future Leaders Training Series 2026, the programme was held from Feb 21 to 22 under the theme ‘Empower, Innovate, Lead’.
Participants comprised students and youths from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Sarawak and Serdang, ADTEC Bintulu, UiTM Sarawak and Sabah, UNiKL, TVVET Bintulu, MRSM Bintulu, as well as universities from Indonesia and Brunei.
The strong cross-border participation reflected regional collaboration in nurturing technology-literate and competitive young leaders.
“The programme aligns with its mandate to strengthen human capital development to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive job market while accelerating Sarawak’s digital economy agenda,” said a press statement from TEGAS.
Throughout the programme, participants were exposed to digital literacy, AI fundamentals, entrepreneurial thinking, and modules on communication and critical thinking.
High-impact leadership training sessions were anchored on solving real-world challenges, allowing participants to translate ideas into practical solutions through teamwork and structured discussions.
They were also introduced to ethical technology use and smart technologies, while workshops focused on strengthening digital entrepreneurial mindsets.
The programme was implemented under a Smart Partnership between Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB) and TEGAS through the Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship (YLE UPMKB) platform, with TEGAS acting as the main sponsor.
The collaboration brought together academia, industry players, government agencies, and local as well as international experts in advancing digital economy development, e-entrepreneurship, education, and social progress.
