Dr Sim (second left) listens to Dr Zaidi’s explanation about the CCTVs while others look on. Photos by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Jan 8): The Ministry of Local Government and Housing in collaboration with Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) will install 800 closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) across 200 sites in Kuching under the Smart City digital economic sector agenda, said its minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He informed that SMA will issue an advertisement for the open tender for the installation of the CCTVs at the end of the month.
“The transparent open tender starts from the end of January, and installation works will kick off by the second quarter of the year,” he told reporters today at Emart Batu Kawa area, which is one of the sites selected by SMA for the installation of such cameras.
“They will be used to monitor crimes, traffic offences and so on. In Sarawak we are very special because we will have Sarawak Integrated Operations Centre (SIOC), which means that all this information will go to one place and from there will go to different agencies,” he said.
A snapshot of the locations where CCTVs will be installed in the areas under MBKS, DBKU, MPP and MPKS.
Dr Sim explained that the move is part of Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg’s digital economy agenda to accelerate Sarawak’s economic growth via the Smart City concept.
Within this concept, a key enabler is the digitalisation of urban areas, whereby all forms of data are centralised for robust planning and timely execution of essential services, in which the SIOC will act as the command centre.
“The local government, the councils, will need to work together with the state government so that we can have an integrated smart city.
“We are also going to bring Trienekens and Department of Drainage (DID) into the system. All these will be integrated eventually, so that information will be available to authorities and agencies to do their work,” he said, adding that eventually the information will be made available to the public via apps.
According to SMA general manager Dr Zaidi Razak, the CCTVs are located in the areas of Kuching South City Council (MBKS), Kuching North City Hall (DBKU), Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) and Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS), and the cameras will feed SIOC with real-time footage and data on a 24/7 year round basis.
He said that in doing so, the CCTV network will create a safe environment for the community in terms of crime and vandalism prevention, early flood warnings and securing assets close to the respective CCTV sites.
“The copious amount of data generated from the CCTV network will contribute to the state’s Big Data strategic initiative.
“As a result, the innovative use of Big Data will expedite Sarawak’s digital transformation journey,” he said.
However, Dr Zaidi said that the location of SIOC cannot be revealed yet.
“It is under construction, about 97 per cent completed with touch-up works. It will be completed by the end of the month.
“Its location will be announced by the chief minister,” he said.