KUCHING: The Sarawak government plans to develop a state-owned digital pass known as the Sarawakpass.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Sarawakpass will serve as a trusted digital identity for every Sarawakian.
He said this initiative is inspired by the Singpass of Singapore which has been proven useful as a working model.
“The Sarawakpass will become the trusted digital identity for every Sarawakian to access the public services provided by various state government departments and agencies as well as for private sector services,” he said at the Asia Pacific Cybersecurity Conference 2023 Gala Dinner on Friday (May 19).
Abang Johari said there is a need to create a Sarawak Digital Identity Platform as a verifiable platform of trust for the purpose of verifying the identity or individual virtual identity on the Internet and in the cyber world.
He explained that currently the identity networks and authentication methods are very fragmented in Sarawak with every organisation having its own ways of determining how individuals are credentialed and authenticated in their network.
This disparity is causing a lot of frictions and problems when people need to deal with multiple entities in both the public and private sectors.
“With Sarawakpass, all Sarawakians would have digital passports that would enable them to take their credentials anywhere they go and share them with whoever they want at any time as they get authenticated by any entity – whether in the private or public sectors.
“The Digital Identity Platform will also drive engagement and efficiency for individuals to engage with all sectors digitally and expeditiously. This would motivate and lead to further engagements, hence increasing economic activities and socially inclusive growth and prosperity,” he said.
Abang Johari added that the Digital Identity Platform would be expected to further fuel the adoption and usage of the S-PayGlobal into an exponential trajectory.
