PART 2
WHEN Franklin Lingga Abun walks into a boardroom or a lab in Germany, he carries Sarawak in his heart. The 28-year-old from Kapit, whose innovation in semi-solar electric generation earned him a decade-long role with BMW, represents a new wave of Dayak pioneers where identity and ambition are not separate forces but partners in progress.
In 2018, Franklin achieved a historic milestone as a 20-year-old third-year student studying mechanical and manufacturing engineering at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). His groundbreaking moment came when he presented a concept paper at an esteemed international engineering forum held in Austria. His idea on semi-solar electric generation caught the attention of judges from the BMW Group.
That moment would change his life. He was offered a ten-year engineering role beginning in 2021 at BMW’s global headquarters in Munich, Germany, making him the first young Sarawakian to receive such an opportunity.
“My journey began with a simple idea. But I didn’t have the means to even travel to Austria. It was a now-or-never opportunity. I was determined to try, but the cost of flights and accommodation was beyond me,” Franklin recalled.
That’s when fate and community support intervened. With the help of political leaders like the late Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing and Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Franklin secured the funding to travel and present his work.
“Their support changed everything. Without it, I would not have been able to attend that event. They saw something in me and gave me the push I needed,” Franklin said.
Beyond boundaries
Franklin’s journey from a longhouse upbringing to Europe’s automotive and AI innovation spaces is not just a personal milestone. It’s symbolic of something larger: the potential for young Dayaks to shape global narratives, not just participate in them.
His project, which remains under non-disclosure due to proprietary technology agreements with BMW, focuses on harnessing solar energy more efficiently by combining it with conventional power sources.
BMW saw in Franklin’s work the potential for a future-forward, sustainable energy system that could influence the next generation of automotive design.
“After the project was accepted, I had to sign a confidentiality clause. BMW will release the details at a future date as part of its marketing literature and product roadmap.
“Until then, I can’t say much, but I can tell you it is designed with both cost-efficiency and environmental responsibility in mind,” Franklin explained.
Anchored in Sarawak values
Even while working in one of the world’s leading automotive environments, Franklin remains grounded in his heritage.
“The knowledge and values I carry come from my upbringing in Kapit. Our longhouse culture teaches resilience, respect, and resourcefulness. All of these are critical in innovation,” he said.
This balance between cultural identity and technical excellence defines Franklin’s work. Beyond BMW, he has also launched a startup focusing on AI model optimisation.
The company’s flagship framework, called the Hybrid Looping System, seeks to make machine learning more accessible and cost-effective for smaller organisations.
“In the AI field, you need huge data sets and powerful infrastructure. This is something most startups in Southeast Asia don’t have.
“My system compresses and loops AI data in ways that reduce the cost of computation. It’s about democratising access to technology,” Franklin explained.
His innovation has caught the attention of several European tech firms and researchers. The University of Helsinki has even integrated its AI framework into one of its research modules, and some early-stage firms in Germany have started piloting its system.
“That tells me indigenous-led ideas do have global relevance. You don’t have to abandon your identity to be at the forefront of science and technology,” Franklin said.
Giving back to Sarawak
Although Franklin is based in Europe, he consistently engages with stakeholders in Sarawak. He has closely collaborated with the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability to investigate promising opportunities for AI and renewable energy partnerships within the state.
“I don’t want to only speak to people in suits and ties, I want to work with people on the ground, who understand the reality and potential of our local communities,” he said.
Franklin has expressed interest in returning to Sarawak periodically to conduct workshops and school talks. His goal is to inspire the next generation of Sarawakian youth, especially those in rural areas, to explore careers in green technology, AI, and engineering.
“I hope my story shows that it’s possible. We don’t need to wait for outsiders to bring innovation to us. We can create it ourselves, from our own experiences, values and ideas,” he said.
Entrepreneurship that reflects culture
Franklin believes that Sarawak’s future depends not only on industrial policies but on fostering indigenous entrepreneurship grounded in cultural integrity.
“Many people assume that innovation must be western. That it has to look a certain way. But for us, innovation is about community. It’s about building systems that uplift everyone,” Franklin said.
This view aligns closely with the stories of Julia Livan Talek and Riong Gimang, the artisans featured in Part 1 of this series.
Like them, Franklin believes that culture is not a relic of the past, but a resource for the future.
“We’re seeing a shift. Traditional crafts, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence. These can all come from the same place: our heritage. It’s just a matter of how we apply it,” he said.
Innovation for the people
Franklin is particularly passionate about ensuring that future energy and AI systems in Sarawak are designed with community ownership in mind.
“Petrol, hydrogen, AI. All these must be approached through the lens of what’s best for our people. Technology is only useful when regulators and communities work together,” he said.
He points out that many policies are often top-down and fail to take into account local perspectives or needs. Franklin believes indigenous innovators must be part of the decision-making process, not just passive recipients of foreign or federal technologies.
“We mustn’t just be users of imported tech. We must become innovators – creators. If we don’t build our systems, we’ll always be dependent,” he said.
Challenges on the road home
While Franklin’s journey has been inspiring, he’s also candid about the obstacles that remain.
“There is still an infrastructure gap. Especially in rural areas, internet access is patchy, and many young people do not have mentors in science or engineering,” he said.
He also noted that financial support systems for indigenous tech entrepreneurs are still underdeveloped compared to what is available in Europe.
“In Germany, if you have a good idea, you can find five different grants. In Sarawak, it’s much harder. We need to build that ecosystem,” he said.
Franklin hopes that his success can serve as proof that investments in youth innovation, especially from indigenous communities, are worth making.
The future is hybrid.
Franklin’s Hybrid Looping System is more than just an engineering framework. It’s a metaphor for what he sees as the future of Sarawak: a place where tradition and modernity co-exist and strengthen one another.
“Whether it’s beads, textiles, or AI models, we’re all using our tools to tell our stories. There’s no single path. But if we know where we come from, we’ll know where we’re going,” Franklin said.
Just as Julia and Riong used their crafts to rebuild cultural pride and economic hope, Franklin is weaving his tapestry where the Dayak story continues, evolves and inspires on a global scale.
And for him, this is just the beginning.
