Digital technology best for Sarawak development - Abang Johari

KUCHING: The Sarawak chief minister is passionate about the digital technology and believes it is one of the best ways to make Sarawak a developed state and to attain high income.
Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the focus on the digital economy was to create good jobs for the young people and to increase economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses.
"I am not showing that I am tech-savvy as alleged by the Pelawan state assemblyman but there is no other option for us but to move forward.
I know that Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam have opted for this route. If we are not bold we will be left behind and possibly swallowed by the technology and ICT applications of our neighbours," he said in his winding-up speech at the last day of the State Legislative Assembly meeting, here today.
Abang Johari said the state has making good progress concerning the development of a digital economy.
"We now know that building the digital economy is about creating a new and better and more efficient way of living for the people of Sarawak. By saving time and money, the people of Sarawak can live in an efficient society. I think we can all agree on this."

The digital government is built around the digital identity of each citizen and how the personal information associated with that citizen is captured in digital form, stored in digital form and retrievable in digital form.
He said the digital personal information may be stored on different computers servers by different government departments which collect and process them.
"The digital government is a digital platform of service built by the government where all the digital personal information of a citizen can be retrieved by the individual for the purpose of ensuring that the information is correct and secured with tightly coupled audit trails for each personal data and transaction.
"All transactions with the government is up to date. Citizens can ask for service from the government with the touch of a button from an integrated platform, covering the whole life cycle of everyone from birth to death."
For the purpose, the authority is developing a common platform of IDs and may call it Sarawak ID. — Bernama