MTDC, SDEC launch Prototyping Lab to boost IR4.0 adoption in Sarawak

KUCHING, - Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) today launched the Prototyping Lab partnership, in collaboration with Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Bhd (SDEC), to boost the adoption of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) in the state.

The collaboration, which is for the development of the first-ever IR4.0 facility in Sarawak, also involved MTDC's ecosystem partners, namely Akar Indah Engineering Sdn Bhd, T-Robot Sdn Bhd, and 3D GENS Sdn Bhd.

MTDC chairman Tan Sri Abd Rahman Mamat said MTDC will assist SDEC in areas such as technology adoption and transfer, knowledge transfer, skills and capacity development, business networking, access to flagship programmes, as well as investment.

"In order to execute technology adoption and transfer, the most important element for us is the ecosystem, so both the state and federal authorities like MTDC should be able to contribute to creating a conducive ecosystem, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

"Another thing is the importance of talent development because when it comes to technology adoption, we need highly skilled workers for that," he told reporters after the launch of the Prototyping Lab at TEGAS Digital Village today.

Sarawak Minister of Utilities and Telecommunications Datuk Julaihi Narawi launched the lab on behalf of the State Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

In the text of his speech read by Julaihi, Abang Johari said that the prototyping lab would become a stepping stone for Sarawak to become a high-income state by 2030.

The prototyping lab serves as a centre to provide end-to-end support in the adoption of IR4.0 which benefits the ecosystem industry players through exposure to the industry, as well as IR4.0 experts, technology, and talent development programmes.

Meanwhile, SDEC chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani said the parties planned to extend the collaboration on the Sarawak digital ecosystems to promote the prototyping lab to SMEs and companies in the state.

"We cannot be slow, that is why we have to jump-start the whole thing by partnering with MTDC so we can get our own startups tech to work with them and SMEs and leapfrog into IR4.0.

"The future is very good because the ecosystem is already there in terms of government support, talent development and technologies that will be brought in here by our partners, locally and internationally," he said.

At the same event, SDEC inked several memoranda of understanding on collaborations with MTDC and its ecosystem partners, in conjunction with the launching of the prototyping lab. - BERNAMA