Len (centre) flanked by Zaidi (right) and Abdullah (left) showing the artistic impression of the DV while others look on. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: The construction of the Digital Village (DV) at Sama Jaya High Tech Park here is set to begin this month.
Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputera Sarawak (Tegas) has been given the mandate to undertake the project.
Its chairman Datu Len Talif Salleh, who is Assistant Minister of Urban Planning said they have been given 18 months to complete the project.
However, because it must be fully completed the latest by March, next year, they have decided to push its completion period to 14 months from today.
“We will work diligently with the contractor to complete the project before the first quarter of next from today.
“Of course, without compromising on the quality as required under the contract,” he said at the handing over of site to contractor at Sama Jaya High Tach Park here today.
The RM27 million-project has been awarded to Hock Seng Lee Bhd.
Len noted that Tegas would also be working closely with the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) to ensure the timely delivery and success of the DV.
Aside from that, Tegas is also collaborating with SMA in running the SMA-Tegas Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) in Kuching, Miri and Bintulu.
DIH serves as an inclusive avenue to nurture talents, support entrepreneurs and create innovators for Sarawak. DIH offers access to co-working space and shared amenities, funding opportunities and facilitation, incubation and acceleration programmes as well as an entrepreneur-friendly ecosystem.
“Our mission is to provide growth opportunities for early-stage startups and to build strong startup community across Sarawak.
“This initiative is in line with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s agenda to increase the number of successful technopreneurs and subsequently drive the state’s digital economy,” he said.
Under the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy 2018-2025 (Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Action 38), DV is established to facilitate technology transfer and commercialisation and accelerate the maturity of the start-ups through global accelerator partnership.
Initiatives at DV will include “Launch Sarawak” (Action 39) – a programme to provide a transformative pathway to support innovation, intellectual property creation and spin-offs, as well as Scale-up programmes and Open Lab.
The Sarawak Government through the SMA will also setup “Digital Landing Pads” (Action 40) overseas to promote Sarawak as a destination for high tech innovation and entrepreneurship like Silicon Valley or Shanghai, also to encourage both domestic and foreign investments.
SMA General Manager Dr Zaidi Razak said the DV will further expand the impact of their established startups, by imbuing them with cutting-edge technology, latest research, and up-to-date digital skills.
“It will play a significant role in establishing and developing localised knowledge in Sarawak, and put Sarawakian technopreneurs and startups on the world map.
“Together with all our partners within the digital ecosystem, we know that this initiative will create success stories that will be the pride of our state, and our nation,” he said.
Also present at the handing over of site ceremony was several Tegas Board of Trustees including Assistant Minister of Corporate Affairs Abdullah Saidol, Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, Demak Laut assemblyman Dr Hazland Abang Hipni and Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau.