KUCHING: Innovative and Creative Group (KIK) teams from the public sector are encouraged to join startup companies as platforms to market their products or services.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said over the years, the KIK teams had come up with innovative and unique products, making it timely for Sarawakians to compete in the global market.
Speaking at the closing of the Sarawak-level KIK convention at UCSI Hotel here on Wednesday evening, Abang Johari said he’s amazed at the number of products or services which were nurtured at a startup company called ‘Plug and Play’ in California’s Silicon Valley, USA.
“There are companies from South Korea, Singapore and Indonesia under the Plug and Play (accelerator programmes), but no Malaysian companies.”
He said if our own products were linked to such startup companies, it would show to the world that Sarawakians were also capable innovators.
Besides the Plug and Play headquarters in the Silicon Valley, Sarawakians could try to reach out to their branch in Singapore to ease their travel expenses and logistics.
Touching on the convention, Abang Johari said it would be able to instill creativity and teamwork to those in the public sector by finding new ways or approaches to carry out their tasks.
“We have to constantly think out of the box to solve problems,” he said.
He added that to find solutions, a person would tend to find new products or services along the way to upgrade the public sector delivery system, and to benefit the people.
The Sarawak government also emphasised on use of the latest technology to hasten the delivery system, such as the usage of ‘Big Data’.
Big Data would become a convergence of data and information for the government departments or private companies to gauge the needs and demands of the people.
“Making use of Internet of Things (IoT) is the way forward for the Sarawak government,” he added.
State Secretary Tan Sri Morshidi Ghani also spoke at the event.
Sarawak has the largest KIK groups in Malaysia with 233, and produce a total of 560 products and services. The KIK convention in Sarawak started in 2010.
“The convention this year from Oct 8 to 10 gathered 785 civil servants from 97 KIK groups,” he added.
The best three teams at the convention will represent Sarawak at the International Convention on Quality Control Circle (ICQCC) in Singapore from Oct 22 to 25.
They are Kenyalang from the Sarawak Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), Peka X from the Kuching South City Council (MBKS), and Nanas Madu from the Sarikei Public Works Department.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Sim Kui Hian and deputy state secretary Datu Sabariah Putit were also present at the closing ceremony.
[Source: “CM urges KIK teams to join startup firms” published by BorneoPost Online]Photo Credits: BorneoPost Online