BANGKOK: Sarawak used the International Water Association (IWA) Water and Development Congress & Exhibition (WDCE) 2025 to showcase its long-term water blueprint to regional and global players.
The Malaysian Water Association (Sarawak Branch) exhibition booth, which is open throughout the congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center from Dec 8 to 12, highlights three pillars of the state’s water-sector shift: the Sarawak Water Supply Master Plan and Water Grid, the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 roadmap, and regional cooperation with ASEAN neighbours.
A key draw is an exhibit panel on the ‘Sarawak Water Story’, which sets out one of the most extensive basic infrastructure master plans undertaken by the state government.
The panel focuses on how Sarawak aims to build resilient, sustainable and smart infrastructure to reach 100 per cent clean water coverage by 2030.
The action plan rests on three main strategies: forecasting future water demand, identifying raw water sources, and rolling out a treated-water grid backed by digital technologies for managing water resources.
The study also details a state-wide implementation roadmap and end-to-end solutions for secure and sustainable water supply.
This includes programmes to reduce non-revenue water, the construction of a water grid and new or upgraded treatment plants from the south to the north of the state, as well as the Sarawak Alternative Water Supply (SAWAS) initiative designed for remote communities that conventional grid infrastructure cannot reach.
Another exhibit panel that attracted visitors was PCDS 2030, which is described as Sarawak’s transformation strategy to become an advanced society driven by data and innovation.
The framework is built around seven key enablers: energy, digital infrastructure, digital transformation, innovation, environmental sustainability, human capital and regional development.
Regional cooperation is given prominence through a dedicated panel on cross-border partnerships, which showcases strong backing from ASEAN member states including Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam for Kuching’s role as host city for the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition (WWCE) in 2028, the first time the global event will be staged in this region.
The exhibition also showed Kuching as Sarawak’s capital with strong physical and digital connectivity, promoted as a hub for environmental management, water and energy infrastructure development and modern smart-government initiatives.
Among the infrastructure highlighted is the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system, presented as a new mobility backbone that supports low-carbon transport goals.
It also underlines Sarawak’s green energy push through hydropower and large-scale solar facilities, alongside the AirBorneo airline, which is being geared to improve regional air links and connect Sarawak to key international markets.
WDCE 2025, organised by the IWA and co-hosted by the Asian Institute of Technology, commenced under the theme ‘Water, sanitation, and innovation – pathways to progress and a resilient future’.
The congress builds on the success of the 2023 edition in Kigali, Rwanda, which drew nearly 2,700 participants from 85 countries and featured 39 technical sessions, 40 workshops and five forums.
This year’s event is expected to bring together more than 3,000 water professionals from over 80 countries, with a programme spanning keynotes, technical sessions, workshops, business forums, technical tours and a global exhibition.
Sarawak’s presence in Bangkok is viewed as part of its strategic build-up to IWA WWCE 2028 and as a signal of its ambition to lead on sustainability, innovation and sustainable water-resource management.
The state sees these platforms as catalysts for attracting investment, opening long-term collaboration opportunities, linking international water-sector players with local companies and developing durable solutions to Sarawak’s water infrastructure challenges.
The next edition of the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition will take place at the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow from Oct 4 to 8, 2026, underscoring global attention on long-term commitments to sustainable water management ahead of Kuching’s turn in 2028.
