KUCHING: The Sarawak Sovereign Artificial Intelligence (AI) Infrastructure Platform marks another significant milestone for Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS) in strengthening protection of the Sarawak government’s interests in an increasingly complex technological landscape.
SAINS chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam said the initiative reflected SAINS’ continued commitment to supporting the Sarawak government’s digital transformation agenda, particularly in navigating the rapidly evolving and challenging AI landscape.
He said the platform would provide a secure and scalable computing environment capable of supporting AI model fine-tuning, AI inference, digital twins, cybersecurity analytics, data-intensive computing and AI application development.
“The establishment of the Sovereign AI Infrastructure Platform will provide the computing foundation required by government agencies, statutory bodies and Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) to develop and deploy advanced AI solutions.
“Most importantly, it will strengthen Sarawak’s digital sovereignty by enabling government AI services to be securely hosted locally, where data privacy and security are of paramount importance,” he said in his speech at the launch of the Sarawak Sovereign AI Infrastructure Platform held here today (Aug 17).
Dr Chan said AI could help the government move from reactive management towards more proactive, predictive and preventive action.
“In disaster management, AI can analyse rainfall distribution, river levels, terrain, weather forecasts and historical information to improve flood and landslide risk assessments, thereby supporting early warnings and more effective emergency resource deployment.
“Dayang, the Sarawak government’s AI virtual assistant integrated into the government portal, provides immediate responses 24 hours a day, seven days a week to routine public enquiries such as tracking applications and service requirements, thereby reducing manual workload at front-line service counters.”
Meanwhile, he said enforcement officers from the Forest Department were equipped with the AI-powered “WoodID” mobile app, which enabled them to identify and classify wood species instantly in the field.
This, he said, helped ensure regulatory compliance through verification of timber species harvested by licence holders.
“As such, there are many more AI applications being implemented by the Sarawak government in its operations and service delivery, transforming digital government into smart government – a government that does not merely respond to incidents but develops the capability to anticipate them.”
Dr Chan said countries with access to advanced AI computing infrastructure would have the capability to develop innovative AI solutions, improve operational efficiency and create new opportunities.
He said such capability was also essential for Sarawak to achieve its aspiration under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 to become a prosperous society driven by data and innovation, where everyone could enjoy economic prosperity, social inclusion and sustainable development.
“SAINS is fully committed to providing the technology, expertise, infrastructure, security and continuous support required to build a trusted, resilient and locally governed AI ecosystem aligned with the strategic priorities of the Sarawak government.
“We are ready to work with the Sarawak government not only as a technology provider, but as a trusted strategic partner to strengthen local capabilities, safeguard Sarawak’s data and digital sovereignty, and accelerate public service transformation.”
