By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, May 26: The Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre (SIDC) has begun implementing a disease surveillance programme in Ulu Undop, with two additional sites planned in Kuching this year, as part of its broader strategy to strengthen public health response across the State.
Sarawak Minister for Education, Innovation, and Talent Development, Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, said SIDC is also piloting latent tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in high-risk areas as a precursor to the Sarawak Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (STEP).
“In partnership with the Department of Veterinary Services, SIDC is using portable genome sequencing to monitor African Swine Fever Virus and strengthen biosecurity in the pork industry,” he said during his ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting here today.
Providing an update on SIDC’s development, Sagah, who is also Tarat assemblyman, said construction of the facility in Samarahan, which began in March 2024, is progressing on schedule.
On the international front, SIDC signed several Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) on May 6, 2025, including with the University of Edinburgh, focusing on diagnostics and One Health with support from the United Kingdom government; the ROSE Foundation based at Universiti Malaya, to pilot HPV self-sampling in rural Sarawak; and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) for joint infectious disease research and potential vaccine development with international partners.
“SIDC also launched the Ali Wallace Joint Research and Training Centre with Murdoch University.
“10 SIDC staff will be trained in Australia, and four Murdoch researchers are currently in Sarawak, with two PhD slots allocated to SIDC. Murdoch is also supporting the Centre’s AI-enabled ICT design,” Sagah added.
Meanwhile, Sarawak is also taking strategic steps to lead in the field of artificial intelligence through the Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre (SAIC).
Sagah said SAIC is central to the State’s vision of achieving AI sovereignty by building a trusted AI infrastructure, developing local talent, protecting Sarawak’s data ownership, and deploying AI to enhance governance and public service delivery.
“In 2025, SAIC is leading the development of the Sarawak AI Roadmap, a strategic blueprint to guide our efforts in building an inclusive and future-ready AI ecosystem.
“As part of this initiative, SAIC is co-developing Sarawak’s AI strategy and policy framework with government policymakers, ensuring alignment with Sarawak’s digital agenda.”
Sagah added that SAIC will also work with stakeholders and industry partners to design a comprehensive strategy for AI talent development, which will include training, upskilling, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at equipping Sarawakians with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven economy.
“In addition, SAIC will embark on research and development in artificial intelligence, in partnership with research institutions and institutions of higher learning.
“These efforts will place Sarawak at the forefront of technological innovation and knowledge creation.”
The minister further stated that one of the key focus areas under the AI Roadmap is the development of DeepSAR, a specialised AI platform co-developed with stakeholders from the biodiversity sector and other relevant industries.
“DeepSAR will support advanced research and data-driven solutions that draw on
Sarawak’s rich natural heritage and sectoral expertise,” he said. — DayakDaily
