KUCHING: The launch of the TUJOH animation and comic marks another step in Sarawak’s efforts to strengthen home-grown intellectual property (IP) and develop the state’s creative industry.
Officiating the launch at Pustaka Negeri Sarawak today, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation’s (SDEC) Chairman, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, said the state’s creative industry had become one of the fastest-growing sectors in the digital economy, supported by the increasing demand for digital content across social media, streaming platforms and emerging technologies.
He said Sarawak’s aspiration of becoming a high-income region by 2030 depended not only on technological advancement but also on developing original IP and creative talents capable of competing on the global stage.
“Local stories, legends and the diverse heritage of Sarawak have enormous potential to be transformed into compelling and commercially valuable content,” he said.
In line with these efforts, Morshidi announced that SDEC, in collaboration with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), will organise the Borneo Animation & Games Festival (BAGFest) 2026 from August 19 to 23 at Pullman Kuching Hotel and The Hills.
The five-day festival will feature more than 30 renowned speakers from Malaysia and abroad, over 50 exhibitors, as well as animation and game developers, investors, publishers, studio owners and creative professionals from around the world.
“The festival will create more opportunities for original IP development, attract investments, strengthen business collaboration, nurture local talent and expand access to international markets,” he said.
He added that SDEC would continue supporting the industry through talent development programmes, strategic collaborations and greater exposure to digital technologies under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 and the Sarawak Digital Economy Blueprint 2030.
Morshidi said Sarawak needed more content creators, animators, game designers, digital artists and creative entrepreneurs to sustain the future growth of the digital economy, adding that talent development should begin from a young age.
He later described locally developed IP as a strategic asset capable of preserving Sarawak’s cultural identity while creating new economic opportunities through animation, comics, games and other forms of digital content.
