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2/9/17 SARAWAK DIGITAL ECONOMY ...participating in the fourth wave industrial revolution.

Posted By: Abdullah Chek Sahamat - September 20, 2017

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Digital economy is a concept that was highly being mooted in the early 1990s. 1990s I would say is an era of computerization especially among the third world countries. Indeed digital economy is a progression of the electrical and electronic economy of 1980s. Nonetheless, in the year 2000s, the idea seem to mallow down especially in Malaysia by the fact that such a noble idea was clouded by the culture of the Malays stupid politicking. From 2003 onward, the concept of digital economy for Malaysia I would say die off with the departure of Mahathir from his premiership position. It dies off, I would believe due to the poor understanding of such an idea of Mahathir's whom was a medical turned politician by his trusted successors. I dare to say, the then Abdullah and Najib had a poor grasp on the concept of digital economy. Thus, both Abdullah and Najib then began not to see the importance of the completion of Cyberjaya development. I can see now that Najib had abandoned the original development concept of Cyberjaya for he is eyeing a much grandeur cyber place development covering Klang Valley-Nilai-Seremban. As a biologist, I believe Najib is confused between the need to establish the Central Place over the space coverage. In the IT-based development, the Central Place is a must before one could have a wider space coverage. Mahathir as a medical person understood the relationship of the brain and the body in human physiology IT-system and thus he geared the development of Cyberjaya for IT-based application in Klang Valley and thus the whole nation. Accordingly, due to Sarawak financial glitch in 2002-2012 (?) I would say, the pioneering idea on digital economy which was also adopted by Taib; with the problem facing the 1Silicon Project, subsided accordingly. Even at the world stage, with the outbreak of the Iraq-Kuwait War, then of course followed by a never ending Middle East political chaotic  the world seem to be preoccupied by the concept of terrorism rather intellectual discourses for the good of the global mankind. For Malaysia, Najib is more busy with the terrorism rather advancing the living techno-how of his people, the rakyat to gain a better living devoid of numerous frustration that lead to the birth of terrorism.

(2) In the 1990s, the emergence of MS office as the computing Operating System to challenge IBM DOS, later emerged Apple and thus the creation and strengthening of Google, FB and many others social media platforms to complement and rival the cumbersome email and websites had turned the world into Digital Village. The vision of the cyber-thinkers then was to make the whole world into the most cost-effective resources management. Digital economy indeed is simple to understand. Let look at our progression of working process that evolves from the traditional manual to mass industrial mechanization and then to electronic-based. Indeed over our human civilizations since 5,000BC, our work process had gone into sort of four phases of development. First was the traditional manual; man-animal powered driven development. Then over time, mechanical invention came in. Our Second Industrial revolution in early 1900s was due to this mechanization of the traditional manual industries. Then with the invention of electric, came the electronic revolution that further enhance our mechanical system. Such was the third wave of our industrial revolution. In 1990s, the electronic technologies went into much drastic innovation that combined the strengths of mechanical and electronic engineering to advance into computerization of the electronic sector, giving birth to what earlier being term as IT-based economy and now redefined as digital economy. Indeed what being term as digital economy is indeed the fourth stage of industrial revolution that we are presently undergoing. In the manual and mechanical-based working process, jobs are done to the perfection by mean of superb man-based coordination. Nonetheless in the electronic-based working process, jobs execution is perfectly done by mean of perfect network of data sharing. Electronic-based working process required less man energy but an efficient data management infrastructures. In the digital economy management, total integrated and open information and electronic-based technologies application is a must. The role of man is minimized. In today digital economy, its has nutured the concepts such as e-trading, e-production, e-banking, etc.

(3) One of the major initial impact of digital economy was in the telecommunication system. Our telecommunication system then evolved dramatically. Advancement in the telecommunication system freed the world in term of resources, capital, technologies and talents utilization and mobility. We thus moving into the open global economies. This openness later created waves of innovation in almost every aspect of the electronic and mechanical devices which then ripples  helping to build many others new intelligent economic commodities beyond the natural resources that we had been exhausting. New world economic growth was greatly seen in the 1990s with the emergence of China, India, Brazil and many others smaller nations by means of these mechantronic engineering innovations. But unfortunately due to the greed of certain political figures be at the national, regional and even global level, the idea was thwarted, hijacked or killed to feed their political-economic greed. Today the world is suffering from serious natural resources depletion, and the curtail of such a noble cyber-management system that we should had further advance, had placed the whole world in a greater distresses.

(4) Indeed the fourth stage of our industrial revolution had not reach its maturity. May be it had just reached a midway. As I said earlier, misconception of the system as well as the spread of greed world wide had hampered and delayed the perfect maturity of this fourth wave industrial revolution. With the maturity of the digital economy, ie with the greater advancement of the digital innovations, my expectation is that our natural resources utilization and management would come to a stage of very cost-effective and sustainable. I believe, most importantly, as Muslim; digital economy should strengthen the Muslim piety that Allah is the al mighty whom had laid everything for the Muslims to be great. Time is running fast for Muslims to study and thus to uncover all the hidden scientific elements of the Al Quran for the good of the whole world. Time is running fast for Muslim to treat the Al Quran as the Al Quran that Allah wants it to be, not a merely spiritual holly book.

(5) In Sarawak today, there seem to be a revitalization of the digital economy concept thought. Abang Johari upon taking over the State leadership, seem to move hard pushing for such a concept. Is this going to be his best strategic choice or he is dried of any other avenue due to the changing national, regional and global economic environment? Worst is it not his economic escapism or merely political gimmick? Even if such is the best choice, would he not be alone, especially in Malaysia when even Najib whom is the Prime Minister is so preoccupied to timid political matters? I don't quiet hearing any other state, not even Penang, the once an electronic jewel of South East Asia is pursuing on this digital economy. Let me not answer my questioning of Abang Johari economic management direction on this digital economy directly. Readers should be able to comprehend those later.

(6) Let me now take especially the Muslim readers on the question, what indeed is this digital economy from the Quranic perspective. The Al Quran says, Allah never sleep. He knew before hand what is in your heart and mind and all your deeds!. Theologically, such a saying means, Allah is ever aware of what we intent to do, and what ever we had done. The Al Quran further strengthen Allah superb knowledge by the fact that He will weight your deeds doesn't matter how small they are, even smaller than an atom. Well, then we should be asking, how did and does Allah do His work ie basically His management system especially His monitoring and supervision of all his creations and in particular the human being? Did He personally be present to see how the virus, bacteria, fungi, plant, animal, water, air, fire, rivers, deserts, all sort and lastly human in behaving themselves? My mind wander. Then I look up to the sky, to search for His superb macro and micro management excellence. The sun, the moon, the stars, and sure the sky are all up there. The sun sends light to all parts of the universe, and thus then each of the universe elements will reflect the sunlight accordingly; sort of forming a network of light transmission to no ending. We also know, in this universe, there are never ending of all sort of magnetic waves being created and transmitted. Thus my believe and conception, I have no doubt, based on the Al Quran saying, He created things for human benefit therefore these light and magnetic waves that are floating around indeed is the system that being used by Allah to govern everything to the purpose of his creation.

(7) Accordingly, if one look into oneself, one should see that the brain is the central governing system for human and all other animal kingdom. Human brain is considered the most advance and sophisticated. In biology, human brain is called Central Nervous System (CNS). The brain is the human Command Center. It is a human CPU. From the CNS ie the brain, the whole body system is link with a network of nodal nervous system that transfuse electronic wave as signal of command for the body part to act. Say if the throat is dry, the CNS will send a command for the legs to walk to a drink source and thus for the hands to fetch the drink and the mouth to swallow. The brain, CNS coordinates the whole affairs of the body. No part of the body is not within the control of the brain. Indeed, the brain and the overall body system works in accordance to the setting of our universe solar system. SubhanaAllah. The Al Mighty Allah, govern the world by meant of the solar system and human by meant of the CNS. As long as the sun is there, this world will continue to exist. Equally, as long as the brain is healthy, our body should sustain it functions well. This world, our body, will function well IFF (if and only if) the networks of functionality ie command is well preserved. In another word, as long as the sun is still firing the light, then more things could be generated. Equally, if the brain is continued to fire the nervous signal, then the body will sustain to act.

(8) Thus from the very simple words of the Al Quran See around you, for you to glorify Me, any thinking, a research minded Muslim should be able to understand how from solar system, Allah had implanted into him a system within that had govern all his functionalities. The working of the brain and solar system is alike. Allah uses the solar system to govern the universe. He had provided man with his brain to govern himself. But advancing from the understanding of the solar and brain system, a Muslim should then be able to move far ahead better to fit him to be the caliph on this earth. Unfortunately, we don't thus we run astray again and backward.

(9) Indeed in the early Islamic world, especially in the 9-11th centuries the scholars digging into what then known as Natural Science which now split into so much academia disciplines such as astronomy, modern math, thermal physic, biochemistry, polymer studies and even genetic had further strengthened what Allah had replied to the Holly ghost challenged that Allah creation of human being would only created chaotic on this earth, His replied was "I have equipped man with the knowledge beyond what you could comprehend ". To me, my understanding of knowledge that Allah said, I would strongly believe is our brain and DNA (gene) to be smart. Indeed the advance understanding of the solar system, the human CNS and thus polymer and genetic studies had contributed to the advancement of our today electronic engineering into computerization. "We could argue that the first computer was the abacus or its descendant, the slide rule, invented by William Oughtred in 1622. But the first computer resembling today's modern machines was the Analytical Engine, a device conceived and designed by British mathematician Charles Babbage between 1833 and 1871. From the simple calculating machine; computing machine, the system then evolved into Computer Main Frame which later further evolved into CPU and thus microchip. The invention of microchip the gene then had turned the world totally different in the span of less than 20-30 years ago. "While at Fairchild, Noyce developed the integrated circuit. The same concept has been invented by Jack Kilby at Texas Instruments in Dallas a few months previously. In July 1959 Noyce filed a patent for his conception of the integrated circuit." With the integrated circuit turned into microchip, technologist indeed is coming to the concept of cost-effective development and management and thus, the sky is the limit of human kind civilization attainment, which indeed in jiving well of the destiny of the Al Quran.

(10) Thus in a simple words, Allah gives us the solar system for us to look at broader things, then He gives us the brain to study on how to do micro-management, and thus the thinkers based on the solar and brain CNS module, had invented the Computer to help him run the world in the direction that Allah had wished upon him. Indeed by clear understanding of our solar system, our CNS, with the computer ie microchip DNA technologies in hand we now should be able to further evolve to close match with Allah management excellence. We should move our governance system to the non sleeping, non eating, non copulating and ever lasting Allah divine. Thus digital economy is innovation-wise and business-wise defined. The next question is how and how ready is Sarawak for the digital economy?

(11) First thing first. Mahathir is correct to build Cyberjaya as the Nation IT-hub. From Cyberjaya, there will be numerous electronical innovation and the immediate application would be the Putera Jaya which house not only the Government facilities but all other related and supporting business. All these will utilize the IT-based technology, and thus will spur what is term as the digital economy, business of the day operating on IT-technologies. In Mahathir original thinking, while Cyberjaya is the Data Center, Putera Jaya will be turned into a perfect Smart City. What entails the Smart City, is something of very evolutionary in characters. It will progress with the advancement of the IT-technology. The concept of Smart Buildings, Smart Government, Smart Education, Smart Hospital, Smart Restaurant, Smart Public Transport, and all sort of smartness will be the  values culture of Putera Jaya and definitely there will be numerous putera jaya and cyberjaya nationwide. Thus, Malaysia as a whole over time will be turned into Smart Nation operating Smart Economies ie Digital Economies.

(12) For Sarawak to start off, then Abang Johari must seriously be thinking to develop Sarawak IT-Hub. The Hub must house or be equipped with the best IT-based facilities that could facilitate fast and uninterrupted data exchange locally and internationally. Sarawak IT-Hub must be well connected to all the regional hubs especially Cyberjaya, Singapore, Hongkong and even Jakarta, Bangkok, Sydney, Tokyo, Honolulu, Silicon Valley of the US,etc. Just as Putera Jaya-Cyberjaya of Mahathir, and even Silicon Valley of the St Francisco Bay of the US, Sarawak IT-Hub should resemble of similar features to be successful. Though, the R&D aspect of IT-based technologies is no more critical, due to the worldwide availability of such techno-how, but the Sarawak IT-Hub must among others provide for IT-based technologies application research. IT-based innovation center should be among key features of the Hub to enable for the expansion of IT-based capitalization statewide. In essence, to me, Sarawak IT-Hub must includes among others the following key components: Fast and Broad Band Data Exchange Center, State Data Management Center, Smart Government, Smart-Incubators, Smart Businesses Facilities, Smart Education and Skill Development, Smart Communities Living and Recreating and Smart City-places management.. The Sarawak IT-hub rightly should be based in Kuching. Kuching should be the central IT-based place for Sarawak and thus Borneo. For such to materialize, Abang Johari should be brave to revamp and redevelop our present dispersal and unintegrated public administrative infrastructures that would greatly advance the digital economies development in the State. The new Public Administrative Center by all means must be drawn and develop along the Digital City development concept. It must be well understood that in any development, the successful uptake could only materialize by means of initial heavy public consumption. Thus building a Public Administrative Center along the Smart City development concept will be the practical impetus for the generation of digital economies development for Sarawak, though this may differ from the setting of Silicon Valley in the US, European and even China, Korea and Japan. Due to our economic structure, our digital economic development need to be adopted to our home capacities and capabilities.

(13) The build up of Sarawak IT-hub in Kuching should be developed in parallel to other hubs in the State. I could see, due to the aggressive industrial development in Mukah-Bintulu-Miri belt, thus another hub should be planned immediately for Bintulu. To me Bintulu, despite its great economic role, it is a distress city. Redefining Bintulu into an IT-City would enable it to traject to a much bigger and advance role in the future especially in the challenging O&G and oleo-chemical industries. Sibu, Kapit, Limbang and Miri should also be quickly look at. These regions are having strength Other IT infrastructures development then must proceed smoothly in all other past of Sarawak.

(14) Indeed as my visualization of Abang Johari earlier Development Bank (DBOS) idea, in the digital economic development, Sarawak indeed, In Shaa Allah, with great courage and determine good governance, we could lead the whole of Borneo into the better global positioning. I have a great confident that DBOS with the advancement of digital economy in Sarawak, the Al Quran concept of Kun Faya Kun, be and to be, will be in our hand. With capital, the correct technologies and definitely by virtue of good governance caliph, our development will be a matter of our finger tip press, key in, enter, done, save!.

(15) But, one must never be decepted, Allah best governance is not only He has the best IT-system, but His digital economies covers other resources (mahluk), man, and His ITs. In His governance, IT is only His tool, but the substance of His rahmat well being remains in the mahluk ie His other mankind related creations.  Thus Sarawak digital economies must never discard Allah semblance of His global rahmat ie all other materials creation (mahluk). Without which, we will be just like a craftsman whom equipped with the best tools, but no material build. Let see digital economies as a system of productions and governance that capitalize on IT for a better cost-effective and sustainable development as the Quran saying Please, never do bad deed into the future. My salute to Abang Johari.

Kuching, Sarawak
20 Sept., 2017

#Abdullah Chek Sahamat

Writing that complies Bizarre, Odd, Strange, Out of box facts about the stuff going around my world which you may find hard to believe and understand

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