Mawan urges grassroots leaders to boost digital literacy to drive rural progress

PAKAN (Feb 28): Grassroots leaders have been urged to strengthen their digital knowledge to ensure rural communities are not left behind amid rapid modernisation.

Advisor in the Sarawak Premier’s Office (Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development) Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom said mastering basic digital literacy is crucial, particularly in understanding technological developments such as digital currencies, QR codes, e-wallets, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Mawan, who is Pakan assemblyman and Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) president explained that community leaders including  village chiefs (KMKK) as well as members of respective Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) must be more aware and ready to adapt to technological changes in order to enhance administrative efficiency and service delivery to local residents.

He was quoted by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS) as saying this when officiating at the Certificate Presentation Ceremony for community leaders and JKKK members for the Pakan state constituency here on Thursday evening.

At the same time, he emphasised that the spirit of unity among community leaders must be strengthened, with community chiefs and longhouse heads playing a leading role in encouraging the adoption of technology within their respective communities.

He also congratulated all certificate recipients and expressed hope that they would carry out their responsibilities with full dedication for the well-being of the local community.

At the ceremony, 20 persons received their appointment certificates as community leaders while another 28 received their appointment certificates as JKKK secretaries from Mawan.

Another 28 certificates were presented to the respective JKKKs as entities.