KUCHING: Sarawak has launched a sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure platform to strengthen data sovereignty and enable secure AI adoption across the state.
Operated by Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (Sains), the platform is hosted entirely in secure local data centres in Sarawak, reflecting the state's commitment to building its own AI capabilities on a secure, locally-governed foundation.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said the consolidation of data in a single platform would facilitate efficient storage and access to accelerate development.
"There are differences between strategic data that we can share and data that we cannot share.
"This is where Sains will play its role to differentiate between the two. Strategic data, particularly in terms of security, cannot be shared.
"But other data can be shared for planning and development purposes," he told reporters after launching the platform here on Monday (Aug 17).
For example, Abang Johari said local authorities could access relevant data about business districts, residential districts and telecommunication networks within their jurisdictions to plan the development of smart cities.
Similarly, he said manufacturing investors could access data about industrial parks and how to apply for licences without having to meet different agencies.
"This will make the process much faster. That is the reason why we have this common platform," he added.
In a media release, Sains said the platform provides access to high-performance computing power and locally hosted AI capabilities.
This enables government agencies, statutory bodies, government-linked companies and strategic organisations to develop and deploy secure AI solutions while maintaining absolute data residency.
"By keeping sensitive data, AI models and critical workloads strictly within our digital borders, Sarawak ensures complete operational custody," it said.
During the launch, Sains and Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) formalised a memorandum of collaboration to explore the application of AI in support of SEB's initiatives.
The collaboration brings together Sains' AI capabilities and SEB's utility-sector expertise with a focus on responsible AI development, secure data management and practical AI applications within the energy sector.
"The collaboration demonstrates how the Sarawak Sovereign AI Infrastructure Platform can serve as a foundation for practical AI adoption across strategic sectors," Sains said.
