SIBU: The Sarawak Innovation and Technology Exhibition (Saintex), and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Playground’ are both geared towards inculcating in youths the culture of and interest in creativity and innovation.
Saintex 2.0 and STEM Playground 2019 will be taking place at University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) here from July 26 to 28.
In this respect, UCTS vice-chancellor and president Datuk Dr Khairuddin Abdul Hamid noted the very good public response for both events last year.
“The idea behind Saintex and STEM Playground is actually to inculcate the innovation and creativity culture in our youths, towards promoting their ideas/activities/products into something that can be commercialised later on. We would like to see these two becoming flagship or main events of UCTS together with the state government in promoting innovation and creativity,” Khairuddin told a press conference here yesterday.
The three-day Saintex 2.0 is organised by UCTS in partnership with Tegas, Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) and Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB), while STEM Playground 2019 is under the Sarawak government via Tegas, supported by Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research (MESTR) and SMA in collaboration with UCTS.
Meanwhile, Tegas CEO Awangku Murali Pengiran Mohamed said the STEM Playground would serve to motivate students to be interested in STEM subjects. He recalled some 7,000 people visited the first instalment of the STEM Playground here, pointing out that this time around, Tegas would want to receive some 10,000 visitors.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to officiate at the opening ceremony of Saintex 2.0 and STEM Playground 2019 this July 27. There are three categories for the Saintex 2.0 competition – the ‘Product Concept’, ‘Fundamental Concept’ and ‘Design Concept’.