SDEC Signs as WITSA Global AI Ecosystem Network Founding Hub Partner
Kuala Lumpur - April 2nd, 2026 – The World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) today formalised a strategic partnership to establish the WITSA Global AI Ecosystem Network in Sarawak (WITSA GAIN@Sarawak), marking a major milestone in the development of the Sarawak AI Ecosystem Hub.
WITSA Chairman Dato’ Dr Sean Seah stated, “This partnership with SDEC marks an important milestone for WITSA GAIN as Sarawak becomes our first ASEAN Hub Partner. Sarawak’s strong commitment to digital transformation and inclusive innovation makes it an ideal regional anchor for advancing AI ecosystem development across Southeast Asia and beyond.”
The agreement positions Sarawak as the first AI Ecosystem Founding Hub Partner in WITSA GAIN, a global platform designed to accelerate a country’s AI ecosystem development, foster regional and international collaboration, and promote inclusive innovation-driven economic growth.
SDEC Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani reinforced that the partnership with WITSA will benefit Sarawak beyond digital innovation and tech, “This collaboration is not just about technology; it is about building a sustainable ecosystem that fosters local talent, attracts global investment, and ensures that AI serves as a catalyst for socio-economic growth in line with the Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030)."
WITSA CEO Dato’ Dan E Khoo continued, “The establishment of the Sarawak AI Hub reflects the strength of our collaboration with SDEC and our shared vision to connect global AI ecosystems through trusted partnerships. Sarawak will play a strategic role in enabling cross-border collaboration, talent development, and responsible AI adoption within the WITSA GAIN network.”
Through this partnership, WITSA and SDEC will collaborate across seven key pillars including AI infrastructure, AI use cases, AI talent, entrepreneurship, data, public policy and investments.
SDEC CEO Dato Ir. Ts. Sudarnoto Osman is very clear on what Sarawak needs, “Our focus will be immediate: we are activating a rigorous assessment of our current AI capabilities and infrastructure to identify how we can best support entrepreneurs and government agencies. This partnership ensures that Sarawak’s AI ecosystem journey is benchmarked against the highest global standards, with access to a powerful WITSA global AI network. This will help accelerate Sarawak’s ecosystem growth, strengthen partnerships, and create new opportunities for innovation and investment.”
WITSA GAIN@Sarawak is expected to serve as a regional gateway connecting ASEAN innovators, policymakers, academia, and industry leaders with global partners across the WITSA network.
Other hubs that WITSA are currently working with include AI ecosystem partners in Brazil, Taiwan, the Middle East and Europe, reinforcing WITSA GAIN as a truly global AI ecosystem network platform.
