KUCHING (Feb 27): Sarawak is exploring potential collaborations with industry captains in the telecommunication industry at the Mobile World Congress 2023 (MWC 2023) held in Barcelona.

The state Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi, who led a delegation to the congress in Spain, also presented a keynote address during a luncheon event organised by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC).

“MWC23 is the largest and most influential event for the connectivity and mobile communications sector where professionals and industrial players across verticals related to connectivity, digital innovation and technology meet,” said the ministry in a statement.

It said the luncheon was held to promote what Sarawak has to offer, through SDEC, to potential partners and collaborators in the telecommunication industry and it was attended by 60 industry captains from different countries.

The ministry pointed out that Julaihi had highlighted Sarawak’s digitisation journey and embracing digital transformation with sustainability in mind.

“The minister reiterated the importance of the advancement of the Sarawak’s digital economy transformation, the provision of telecommunication infrastructure and services as well as digital talent and innovation ecosystem development which will support Sarawak’s digital agenda,” said the ministry.

Julaihi also invited the professionals and industry experts present to the World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT) 2023 that will be held in Sarawak from Oct 4 and 6.

Among the international industry players present at the luncheon were officials from ZTE Corporation, Baicells Technologies, SES Satellites, Whale Cloud, Erisson, AirSpan Networks and Huawei Technologies.

Deputy Ministers Datuk Liwan Lagang and Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi; the ministry’s permanent secretary Jafri Lias and SDEC’s chief executive officer Sudarnoto Osman were among those in Julaihi’s delegation.

Officers from Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), State Attorney-General Chambers (SAG), Sarawak Information Systems (SAINS), Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) and Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) were also present.

The Borneo Post, By Sam Chua