KUCHING: True leadership is not defined by titles but by action and purpose, a call to arms echoed powerfully at the Sarawak Leadership Talk, where the state’s digital future took centre stage.
The talk, themed ‘Pioneering Progress – Leadership In Shaping Sarawak’s Digital Future’, brought together visionary minds to reflect, reimagine, and realign the state’s path towards becoming a fully digital and knowledge-driven economy.
According to Sarawak Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, it is challenging participants to embrace leadership not as a title, but as a purposeful action.
“In this rapidly evolving world, leadership demands more than vision, requiring action, adaptability, and the audacity to innovate.
“We are no longer content with catching up; Sarawak is now leading the charge in charting its digital destiny,” he said in his speech at the Sarawak Leadership Talk opening event, held at Sarawak Skills Auditorium today.
Sagah highlighted Sarawak’s ambitious initiatives, and pointed to the state’s Digital Economy Strategy 2018-2022, which laid the foundation for transformation through 47 strategic actions across nine sectors, including smart agriculture and digital governance.
He further underscored the importance of equipping Sarawak’s youth and entrepreneurs through platforms like CENTEXS Digital Academy and the Digital Village, ensuring the younger generation has the tools, training and ecosystem needed to thrive.
Acknowledging the persistent digital divide, particularly in rural areas, Sagah reaffirmed Sarawak’s commitment to inclusivity.
“Our Digital Inclusivity Programme ensures that no community is left behind.
“Through smart classrooms, e-learning platforms, and expanded connectivity, we are bridging the digital gap,” he said.
He also highlighted Sarawak’s bold vision to become an aerospace hub, exploring the potential of satellite technology to resolve connectivity issues across the vast state.
“Even developed countries struggle with coverage.
“That’s why we are looking at launching satellites to orbit, and we believe this is one solution to ensure everyone, even in the most remote areas, has access to digital opportunities,” he added.
Concluding his address, Sagah urged participants to lead not from authority but purpose.
“The future is not something we enter; it is something we build together.
“Let us pioneer progress and illuminate the path towards a digitally vibrant Sarawak,” he said.
The Sarawak Leadership Talk featured speakers, namely Datuk Dr Anderson Tiong of the Sarawak Multimedia Authority; Professor Patrick Then, Sarawak AI Centre’s Chief Executive Officer; Informatics and IT Schools, Temasek Polytechnic Singapore’s Director, Tang Ming Fa; and Silicon Net Technologies’ General Manager, Ts. Hii Saan Chieng, to discuss governance, innovation, talent development, and digital inclusion.
These topics are critical pillars for realising Sarawak’s digital economy aspirations under the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint.
