Abang Johari (front, 16th left) and other dignitaries in a photo call with participants of Idecs 2019 during the closing ceremony yesterday. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Sarawak is collaborating with Brunei in terms of establishing a fibre optic link between the two countries says Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said Brunei has its own company called DST International, and the company would be working together with local ICT infrastructure company Sacofa Sdn Bhd.
“The company (DST) will explore the possibility of using the gateway to Brunei to link with our fibre optic,” he said after a meeting with Brunei Minister of Transport and Info -communications Dato Seri Setia Awang Abdul Mutalib Yusof, here yesterday.
Abang Johari said Abdul Mutalib also conveyed a message from the Sultan of Brunei that is was good for Sarawak and Brunei to collaborate in terms of economic development.
Sarawak, he added, would also work together with Brunei in tourism as well as agriculture.
“In agriculture, a special taskforce committee has been formed where we have Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan in the committee.
“He will work together with Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, who is also Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development,” he said, adding the committee will look to establish a common agriculture area between Lawas, Merapok and Brunei.
Earlier at the closing of International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (Idecs), Abang Johari said the Sarawak government would take note of all the views presented by experts who participated in this year’s conference.
He noted that after the first Idecs, the Sarawak government spent RM1 billion to build the necessary infrastructure within two years, while after the second Idecs, the state set up Sarawak ID, which connects the government and gives services to the people.
For this year’s Idecs, he assured that the Sarawak government would seriously look into all the recommendations made by the experts.
“Definitely our journey is right – the future living of Sarawakians and Malaysians, for that matter, must be consistent with what is going on in the ecosystem throughout the world.
“We cannot get ourselves isolated. Although it may take time, but you must start somewhere,” the chief minister said.
Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah and Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, and Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin were also present.