KUCHING: The Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) has qualified for the final round of the World Smart City Awards 2020 under the category of Covid-19 Innovation Awards through its digital innovation solutions implemented in Kuching city and the State of Sarawak in order to manage the pandemic as well as ease the hardship of citizens.
The winners will be announced at an online gala event on Nov 18 which will also place participants and their projects on the international platform.
Professor Ir Dr Al-Khalid Othman, deputy chief scientist and deputy chief advisor of SMA, said this during ‘Sembang Digital Normal Baru, SMA-AZAM Sarawak’ on Sarawak FM on Thursday.
He said the initiative was related to the concept of smart city and defined this as a city developed with the use of ICT infrastructure technology.
He added that smart cities could address urbanisation issues, while also enhancing the people’s quality of life – putting Sarawak on par with other large cities in the country which are driven by external technology integration factors and self-development.
He noted that the Sarawak government was actively developing the Smart City Master Plan or Kuching Smart City which involved development through digital inclusivity which could improve the lives of the urban population.
