Datu Len Talif Salleh
KUCHING: Digital hubs will be set up in every division throughout Sarawak to nurture talents in digital innovation.
Stating that the Sarawak government is now in the midst of developing the hubs in all divisions, Assistant Minister of Urban Panning, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh said currently, the hubs had been set up in Kuching and Sarikei which were launched by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in August and December last year respectively.
He added the ones in Bintulu and Miri were already completed and scheduled to be launched on Feb 16 and 17 respectively.
“The rest will also get it and hopefully by the end of this year, out of the 11 divisions that we have, most of them will have the hub,” he told reporters during the handing-over of the proposed Digital Village (DV) site at Sama Jaya High Tech Park here yesterday.
Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumipuetra Sarawak (Tegas) has been given the mandate to implement the RM27-million DV project, which is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year.
Len, who is also Tegas chairman, said the chief minister had indicated that all the digital hubs in Sarawak and the DV are to be set up and operated by Tegas.
He, however, assured that they would be operating under the supervision of the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), adding Tegas is actually the operator while SMA is the owner.
Len said the Sarawak government was looking at the hubs like primary schools, where those who graduate from the hub will come to the DV for a slightly higher exposure in terms of digital knowledge and other skills.
“The hubs and the DV are for everyone. If you have some ideas which you want to synergise or create, you can come to the hubs or the DV to pursue your ideas and creation.
“People can go to any hub or the DV at a discount price. The young people can go there, sit there and work out whatever products they want to develop. We will guide them,” he said.
The digital hub serves as an inclusive avenue to nurture talents, support entrepreneurs and create innovators in Sarawak. The hub offer access to co-working space and shared amenities, funding opportunities and facilitation, incubation and acceleration programmes as well as an entrepreneurship-friendly ecosystem.