Photo above: Michael Ronnie Langgong, Director of Sarawak Service Modernisation Unit (SSMU), Department of the Premier of Sarawak (left) and K Raman, Managing Director of Microsoft Malaysia (right)

Kuching, Sarawak, 21 June 2022 – The Government of Sarawak and Microsoft today inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU), to accelerate digital transformation within the Sarawak government and key economic sectors including agricultural and manufacturing, as well as SMEs in the state. This collaboration came following the Cloud Framework Agreement (CFA) signed between Microsoft and the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU).

Microsoft and the Government of Sarawak will collaborate towards a trusted cloud network and empower the public sector with digital skills for civil servants through the Microsoft’s Enterprise Skills Initiative (ESI), with certificates and courses from Microsoft Learn, LinkedIn Learn and GitHub.

“Our aim is to develop Sarawak into a state with a thriving economy that is driven by data and innovation,” said Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Premier of Sarawak. “For us to achieve our Sarawak 2030 vision, as well as our national objectives under the Malaysian Digital Economy Blueprint (MyDigital), we need to take on a more holistic approach that goes beyond building the state’s digital infrastructure. By partnering with Microsoft, we aspire to also equip Sarawakians with digital skills for the future.”

Commenting on the partnership K Raman, Managing Director, Microsoft Malaysia said, “Sarawak has been a key economic contributor to the Malaysian economy, making up 9.5% of our nation’s GDP[1]. Our partnership with Sarawak builds on our Bersama Malaysia commitment to empower our nation’s inclusive digital economy and advance digital transformation across the private and public sectors. From digital infrastructure to skilling and capabilities building, we want to empower every Sarawakian with equal opportunity to benefit from the wave of digital transformation, whilst ensuring sustainable growth for the state by leveraging technology.”

As part of this collaboration, the Government of Sarawak will explore cloud-based solutions for the agricultural sector that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning, and planned support for the manufacturing sector as well as SME players in the state.

The Government of Sarawak will collaborate with Microsoft on cybersecurity strategies and roadmaps to improve its cybersecurity posture. As the Sarawak government goes digital, securing the cyberspace and deploying effective risk management solutions are crucial for the long-term success of their digital transformation.

To realize the plans under this collaboration, Microsoft will partner with the Government of Sarawak including the Sarawak Service Modernisation Unit (SSMU), Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA), Centre of Technical Excellence Sarawak (CENTEXS), Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), and Sarawak Information Systems (SAINS).

[1] Department of Statistics Malaysia, Gross Domestic Product by State 2020