Abg Jo to open international water expo in Kuching

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Abang Johari. — Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (Aug 16): Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is expected to deliver a conference speech at the Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference (BIWWEC) happening Oct 17-19.

He will also officiate the event, which will be held at Imperial Hotel Kuching.

According to Rural Water Supply Department of Sarawak director Chang Kuet Shian, the fifth instalment of BIWWEC has been revamped and grown substantially since its beginnings in 2011 and throughout the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

“We are proud to be Sarawak’s only international congregation of water and wastewater experts and we look forward to working on active solutions and synergistic efforts to overcome the challenges of water and wastewater needs in Borneo.

“We are happy our exhibition booths for this year are all sold out, as we are expecting an estimated 300 local and international delegates at BIWWEC 2022,” he said.

Organised by the Malaysia Water Association (MWA) Sarawak branch, the event themed ‘Sustainability and Resilience Through Smart Technology and Innovation’ will feature 30 Malaysian and international speakers as well as 40 exhibitors comprising professionals in the field and relevant industries.

Among the confirmed exhibitors are Weida, Empayar Setia, Exxor, Weidasar, AFC Valve, Pansar, Cipta Wawasan Maju and many more.

Utility and Telecommunications Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi in the event launch earlier this year in May had said the state government has a goal to have 100 per cent coverage of clean water for Sarawakians.

“In fact, our recent data shows we are only 16.4 per cent short of achieving full water supply coverage for the whole state. We are implementing various programmes in order to achieve this goal, which include the State Water Grid and the Sarawak Alternative Water Supply programme.

“As for wastewater management, the state is implementing a number of centralised wastewater management systems for the major cities and towns in the state,” he was quoted as saying.

He had also stated BIWWEC 2022 serves as a platform to discuss and explore new innovations and technologies from the local and international industry, which can be customised to improve water and wastewater systems in both urban and rural areas in Sarawak.

BIWWEC 2022 will feature a three-day programme with notable speakers, workshops, panel discussions, networking sessions and site tours among others.

Delegates will also be accorded with Continuing Professional Development hours when attending.

For more information on the conference and becoming a delegate, contact Nurul at [email protected] or 082-263010 or Carshena at [email protected] or 082-555189.

Check their website for more updates on the event.