KUCHING, 7 October 2026 – The Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (SAMENTA) Sarawak, in strategic partnership with Sarawak Skills, organised the SAMENTA Hyperlokal AI Fest & Government-Industry Dialogue 2026 – Kuching Chapter, bringing together small and medium enterprises (SMEs), government agencies and industry stakeholders to explore practical ideas, resources and opportunities to support business growth and transformation.
The programme was officiated by YB Datuk Dr Ripin Lamat, Deputy Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Sarawak (Entrepreneur Development). Opening remarks were delivered by Theophilus Wong, Chairman of SAMENTA Sarawak, and Christopher Ng, National Chairman of Digitalisation & AI, SAMENTA.
In his officiating address, Datuk Dr Ripin emphasised the importance of meaningful business transformation. “For Sarawak entrepreneurs, transformation should ultimately help businesses become more productive, competitive and prepared for future opportunities. I encourage SMEs here today to make full use of this platform: learn from the speakers, speak directly with the participating agencies and partners, build connections and consider where digitalisation and AI can support your own business priorities.”
The one-day programme focused on key areas influencing SME competitiveness, including artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation, workforce capability, financing, market access and practical approaches to adopting new technologies.
The Government-Industry Dialogue connected participating businesses with relevant agencies and highlighted available support within the SME ecosystem. Julyskristin Poly, Sarawak State Director of SME Corp. Malaysia, discussed SME support, capability development and market access, while Dr Belinda Lim of PERKESO shared insights on employment, talent development and workforce support.
Industry contributors representing the technology, learning, AI implementation, financial services and market-access sectors also shared practical approaches to improving productivity, developing workforce capabilities, strengthening financing readiness and exploring new markets.
The event forms part of SAMENTA’s ongoing efforts to engage SMEs across Sarawak and support the state’s business ecosystem. Through initiatives such as the Hyperlokal AI Fest and Government-Industry Dialogue, SAMENTA aims to make knowledge, connections and business support more accessible to SMEs while strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors.
