Premier announces RM25 mln Digital Centre of Excellence at Curtin Malaysia Sarawak

MIRI: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has announced the establishment of a Digital Centre of Excellence at Curtin Malaysia Sarawak campus.

The announcement was made during the university’s 25th anniversary gala dinner last night.

He said the new centre, which will be established at a cost of RM25 million, is part of the Sarawak government’s initiative to enhance educational facilities and attract students not just from Sarawak, but from across Southeast Asia.

He noted the potential of Curtin Malaysia Sarawak to become a centre for data science and digital technology, catering to both local and international students.

Abang Johari (centre) in a group photo call with other guests during Curtin Malaysia Sarawak Campus’s 25th anniversary dinner.

“Curtin Malaysia Sarawak will expand, and it is my desire that the university is not just for Sarawakians but also for our friends in the region,” said Abang Johari.

“They come here to study because we still have good English proficiency. It is the lingua franca, and our students can engage with students from overseas, enriching their experience on campus.”

He expressed hope that Curtin Malaysia Sarawak will continue to produce skilled graduates over the next 25 years.

Apart from that, the Premier also noted the importance of the new centre in attracting students to pursue studies in engineering, energy, artificial intelligence (AI) and data science.

“I hope the new faculty and studies will attract our students to explore new knowledge, including our friends from other parts of Southeast Asia,” he added.

Abang Johari reiterated Sarawak government’s policies to provide free tertiary education to eligible Sarawakian students starting in 2026.

“It is free, as long as you are eligible to study in our own Sarawak universities. Actually, it’s not free; the government pays for you as long as we are here,” he explained. “That is the future.”

He also discussed plans to increase the number of trained engineers and the state’s ambitions in the aerospace industry.

“Sarawak now controls the spectrum, meaning the signal has to go to space, and this space belongs to Sarawak. The next step is to produce the right and quality manpower to execute the policies established by the Sarawak government,” said Abang Johari.

The Premier also touched upon Sarawak’s energy policies, pointing out the shift towards clean energy and the development of new fuel technologies.

“We are planning a gas roadmap involving an injection of RM100 million, with hubs in Bintulu, Miri, and Kuching,” he said. “We have control over gas distribution under the Sarawak government, creating jobs and increasing our income.”

Also present were Curtin University Malaysia Pro-Chancellor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, Puan Sri Lorna Enan Muloon Chan, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, State Secretary Datuk Seri Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew, Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee and Australia High Commissioner Luke Arnold, .