Government digital transformation must translate into public services that are more seamless, accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of the people, said Deputy Digital Minister Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong.
He said achieving this required a combination of innovation, technology and human collaboration, rather than relying solely on technology.
“Technology is the enabler, but true acceleration can only take place when innovation, technology and human collaboration move together in perfect harmony,” he said during the inaugural Digital Government Exchange 2026 (DGX26) at a hotel here on Thursday, according to a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) report.
Ugak said digital government transformation should go beyond simply digitising existing processes, and instead involve reassessing service delivery methods to make them more intuitive and effective for the people.
He emphasised that the development of the government’s digital ecosystem also needed to be supported by robust and secure infrastructure, including data centres, 5G networks and cloud capabilities.
“Equal emphasis must be placed on service security, data protection, digital identity, data exchange, transparency and accountability,” he added.
On strengthening workforce capabilities, Ugak said some 445,000 civil servants were targeted to receive training under Nationwide AI Network 2.0.
“The training would cover areas including generative AI, productivity, applications and workflow automation,” he said.
He said the use of technology and AI could reduce the time spent on manual tasks.
“This would allow civil servants to focus more on interacting with the public, resolving complex cases and delivering services,” he added.
Ugak also stressed the need to strengthen the ‘Whole-of-Government’ approach to enable government agencies to operate as a single ecosystem through data sharing and reducing reliance on separate systems.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS) chairman Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan said changing public expectations of government services now demanded delivery that was not only fast, but also seamless, accessible, inclusive and responsive.
“DGX26 serves as a platform for public-sector innovators, technology leaders, technology providers and civil servants to share experiences and explore new approaches to modernising government operations,” he said.
Ugak said rapid technological developments made knowledge and experience sharing among digital leaders, the public sector and younger generations increasingly important in building capacity to navigate future changes.
Organised by SAINS, DGX26 carries the theme ‘Accelerating Public Services Through Innovation, Technology and Human Collaboration’.
It focuses on AI and data-driven governance, the Whole-of-Government approach, regional collaboration, as well as rural connectivity and inclusive digital services.
Also present were Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) general manager Dato Dr Anderson Tiong Ing Heng, Ministry of Digital secretary-general Datuk Fabian Bigar and SAINS chief executive officer Busiai Seman.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Marilyn Ten
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: The Borneo Post, 11.09.2026
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