Curtin Malaysia ECE academics represent university at IDECS 2017

Miri – 3 May 2017 – Two academic staff of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the Faculty of Engineering and Science of Curtin University, Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) represented the university at the recent International ICT Infrastructure and Digital Economy Conference Sarawak 2017. They were senior lecturers Dr. Ling Huo Chuo and Dr. Garenth Lim King Hann.

The 2-day conference was aimed at raising awareness of the digital economy to enable local businesses to tap into larger business markets. It was jointly organised by the Sarawak State Government, Sarawak Centre of Performance Excellence (Scope) and Sarawak Information Systems Sdn. Bhd. (SAINS) and was held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in Kuching.

The conference was divided into three ‘tracks’: Enabling Technologies and Infrastructure for the Digital Economy; Transforming and Transitioning People, Government, Commerce and Industries to the Digital-Economy-Ready, and Integrating with the Global Digital Economy.

According to Dr. Ling, the conference was a great platform for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and members of the local business communities, as well as policy makers and academics, to discuss and exchange ideas with experts from both public and private sectors on the latest developments in ICT infrastructure and digital economy development, particularly in Sarawak.

“IDECS 2017 was a brilliant initiative by the Sarawak State Government. It showed its strong will and commitment to transform Sarawak through development of the digital economy” said Dr. Ling.

Dr. Lim, meanwhile, commented that tertiary institutions like Curtin Malaysia can play a critical role in the transformation of Sarawak’s digital economy given its location in the state, familiarity with the local market, strong industry links and expertise in the field.

IDECS 2017 featured 21 prominent speakers, including Don Tapscott, Chief Executive Officer of Tapscott Group Inc; Hans-Peter Ressel, Chief Executive Officer of LAZADA Malaysia; Mark Smalley, Co-Founder & CEO of Neorowave.io; Philip Carter, Chief Analyst of International Data Corporation; Sean Goh, Country Head of Grab Malaysia; and Dato Teo Tien Hiong, Chief Executive Officer of SAINS.

The conference was opened by Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and was supported by Curtin Malaysia, Leadership Institute, Sacofa, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus, Sarawak Business Federation and TVSarawak.

Dr. Garenth Lim King Hann (left) and Dr. Ling Huo Chuo at IDECS 2017.