For prosperity: Abang Johari (third from right) tossing ‘yee sang’ at the Chinese New Year dinner organised by SMA. Also present were Tiong (second from right), state ministers and other guests. — Bernama
KUCHING: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg envisions the state developing its own Language Model for Dialogue Applications (LaMDA), which will consolidate local data and be shared globally.
Proposing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) model as “DeepSar”, he said he was inspired by the success of Chinese engineer Liang Wenfeng, who founded DeepSeek, an AI model capable of rivalling those developed in the United States.
“I hope that one day, we will have DeepSar, founded by Sarawakians, featuring content unique to Sarawak, facilitating digital conversations between Sarawakians and the world,” he said.
Speaking at a Chinese New Year dinner organised by the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) here, Abang Johari said the state government is encouraging the development of microchip design – a key component in data transfer.
“Data can only be transmitted through chips. A chip is like the lifeblood of technology, driving progress,” he said, Bernama reported.
Abang Johari said a homegrown AI platform could also help showcase Sarawak’s rich biodiversity, and he has tasked state-owned ICT solutions provider SAINS Sdn Bhd with consolidating relevant data.
As a global hub for rainforests and biodiversity, Sarawak could share its knowledge worldwide, creating new economic opportunities for the state.
“We can offer insights into the economics of biodiversity resources. When this information is downloaded, it will not be free – eight billion people will be able to access it, but we must secure patents and rights over our biodiversity resources,” he said.
At the event, Abang Johari, who is also SMA chairman, expressed appreciation for SMA general manager Datuk Anderson Tiong Ing Heng and his team for working with other agencies to enhance Sarawak’s telecommunication and network infrastructure.
He added that strong digital infrastructure is vital for Sarawak’s economic and social advancement.
