Julaihi urges Sarawakians to embrace AI responsibly for sustainable future
Julaihi speaking during the event at Centexs today.
KUCHING (April 27): Sarawakians must embrace artificial intelligence (AI) with responsibility and ethical awareness to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future, said Utility and Telecommunication Minister Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.
Julaihi stated that while AI offers vast potential to drive Sarawak's economic growth, there are also risks involved if the technology is not handled carefully.
'AI can easily be abused for malicious purposes, such as deepfakes or voice cloning to deceive or blackmail people,' he said at the launch of the MCMC-Microsoft AI Tech Skills for AI-enabled Economy programme at the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs) in Santubong here today.
Given these concerns, Julaihi said the state government fully supports the country's recently launched Artificial Intelligence Governance and Ethics (AIGE) guidelines, describing them as a timely initiative to ensure AI is developed and used in a manner that respects human rights, protects privacy, and upholds public safety.
He emphasised that responsible adoption of AI is crucial for Sarawak's vision under the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, which aims to transform Sarawak into a high-income state by the end of this decade.
'Sarawak is on the right track. We have the leadership and the vision, but it is important that the benefits of progress are felt by all levels of society, including those in rural areas,' he said.
Julaihi cited initiatives such as the Sarawak Rural Broadband Network (MySRBN) and the construction of 636 new telecommunication towers under the National Information Dissemination Centre (Nadi) project as key efforts in bridging the digital divide, providing better internet access to rural communities, and enabling them to participate in the digital economy.
'Our rural communities have the talent and the ambition. They just need the infrastructure to unlock their potential,' he said.
He noted that Sarawak's strategic efforts to improve connectivity — such as the coastal highway network, new bridges, and improved utilities — are laying a strong foundation for a digitally connected future.
On the other hand, the MCMC-Microsoft initiative, he added, will empower Sarawakians with knowledge of AI and its applications while promoting ethical and safe technology usage.
To date, the programme has trained over 2,000 participants across the country, with AI governance and ethics as a key focus.
'Sarawak is ready for the future. Let us use AI responsibly, ensure inclusivity, and innovate for the benefit of all Sarawakians,' he said.
Also present were Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication deputy permanent secretary Syed Mohamad Fauzi Shahab, Centexs chief executive officer Dato Syeed Mohd Hussien Wan Abdul Rahman, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) chief executive officer Dato Sudarnoto Osman and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Kuching Branch director Scott Kueh Sui Yek.
Others in attendance included Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre chief executive officer Prof Dr Patrick Then, Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) deputy general manager Dr Suhaila Jaffar, Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) Sarawak deputy director Farinah Japar and Biji-biji Initiative chief executive officer Rashvin Pal Singh.
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