IDECS Forum 2022
Draft report
In conjunction with the Digital Month of the IDECS 2022 conference, the Advanced Centre for Sustainable Socio-Economic and Technological Development (ASSET) at the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS), Association for Progressive Communications and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) is hosting a high-level forum, featuring local community representatives, policymakers, practitioners and international panelists to discuss digital access, services sustainability, and the critical role of community engagement in developing long-term and sustainable digital inclusion policies for Sarawak. The forum is sponsored by APNIC Foundation.
9:00 to 5:00 pm, 10 June 2022
Venue: Lecture Theatre A (LTA), University of Technology Sarawak
Jalan Universiti, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
Speakers
Mike Jensen is a South African connectivity specialist who co- founded Canada's first ISP for non-profit organisations - The Web - in 1987. The Web is one of the founding members of the APC. In 1995 he co-wrote Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech for the ITU’s flagship event, TELCOM, and in recognition of his contributions to the development of the Internet, he was inducted into the Internet Society's Internet Hall of Fame (IHOF) in 2017. Mike's main focus is on connectivity policy and technology adoption strategies focusing on efforts to help broaden access to ICTs in developing countries.
Dr. Sarbani Banerjee Belur, is currently the Asia Regional Coordinator for APC for the Community Networks Connecting the Unconnected project. She is also the Senior Research Scientist hosted by Spoken Tutorial project at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.
Dr. Rachel Gong is a Senior Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute (KRI). Her ongoing research focuses on digital policy, including digital inclusion, the digital economy, and digital governance.
Adrian Wan is Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Internet Society. He focuses on issues affecting the Internet’s openness, connectivity, trustworthiness, and security, with an emphasis on Asia-Pacific. He leads the Community Networks project.
Mr. John Tarawe is a councilor of the
Kelabit Council and a member of Rurum Kelabit. (Kelabit Association) in Bario, Sarawak, Malaysia. Councillor John is the local champion for eBario telecentre and also the CEO of eBario Sdn Bhd.
Macarthy Anak Gindau (Mac) is the President of Bawang Assan Homestay Association. He is a promoter, practitioner and explorer of digital technologies for transformation of tourism sector. He is also a co-researcher in the
multi-stakeholder Broadband over Power Line project and a user for MySRBN.
Ts. Hamadlan is an IT expert with over 20 years of experience in IT services management, ITIL, method processes, strategic technology planning, and building cost-effective solutions to fulfil customer business objectives.
Ts. Hamadlan is appointed as Chief Technology at SDEC in Nov. 2021, where he is in charge of overseeing digital economy initiatives and network operations.
Gary Loh chee Wyai is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computing and Creative Media, UTS. He established the first Broadband over
Power Line (BPL) project for providing internet access to Bawang
Assan community of Sarawak. He is currently establishing the first community Network in Malaysia as an outcome of his Ph.D. research.
Prof Dr Khairuddin Ab Hamid is currently Vice Chancellor, University of Technology Sarawak(UTS). He was the former Vice Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). He graduated with PhD degree from University of Essex, UK in electronic systems engineering.
Tariq Zaman earned his Ph.D. from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Malaysia. Currently, he is an Associate Professor in the School of Computing and Creative Media, and Head of the Advanced Centre on Sustainable Socio-Economic and Technological Development (ASSET) in the University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia.
PROGRAMME
Times (Malaysia) | Sessions | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
0900-0930 | Welcome Remark | Prof Datuk Dr Khairuddin Ab Hamid Vice Chancellor, University of Technology Sarawak Dr Tariq Zaman Associate Professor, University of Technology Sarawak |
0930-1030 | Community Voice: Digital inclusion in Sarawak
| Marcathy Anak Gindau User of MySRBN and President, Bawang Assan Home Stay Association
Cr John Tarawe Local champion of eBario |
1030-1130 | Digital inclusion and meaningful internet connectivity | Dr Rachel Gong Senior Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute (KRI), Malaysia Adrian Wan Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager Internet Society |
1130-1400 | Lunch and Prayer Break | |
1400-1500 | Examples from the field: Technology and connectivity models for rural communities in Sarawak | mySRBN SDEC representative SMA SALURAN 300 Towers initiative Tarmit Kaur a/p Mewa Singh, Sarawak Multimedia Authority
BCN: Bawan Assan Community Network Gary Loh Chee Wyai, University of Technology Sarawak |
1500-1530 | Tea Break | |
1530-1630 | Panel Discussion: The policy enablers of digital connectivity, an international perspective | Mike Jensen Co-founder of The Web
Dr Sarbani Banerjee Belur Asia Regional Coordinator, Community Networks Project, APC
Adrian Wan Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager Internet Society
Dr Tariq Zaman (Moderator) |
1630-1700 | Conclusion and wrap up |
Address
Advanced Centre for Sustainable Socio-economic and Technological Development (ASSET),
University of Technology Sarawak (UTS)
96000 Sibu, Sarawak,
Malaysia
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