Liew (2nd right) presenting a bouquet to Joey as a token of appreciation. Looking on from left are Essington, Tambakau, Goh and Aminah.
From Mary Chin
KOTA KINABALU: The initiative to organise the Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Workshop for women entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals augurs well for the future of AI in Sabah, says Chairman of Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu, Datuk Seri Christina Liew.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop with the theme “LEARN, LAUNCH, LEAD : Future-Ready Women” at Zara’s Boutique Hotel, here, on Saturday, the former Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment said :
“This workshop is timely. Artificial intelligence is no longer a technology of the distant future. It is already transforming how we work, communicate, operate businesses, serve customers and make decisions.
“Technology advancement and digital transformation are important priorities for Sabah. However, progress cannot be achieved through policies and infrastructure alone.
“We must ensure that our entrepreneurs, professionals and communities are also equipped with the practical skills and confidence to benefit from these developments.”
Liew commended Senior Advisor for the Future-Ready Women Initiative Sabah, Datuk Eliza Goh, and Governance Consultant Joey Goh for having spearheaded the initiative in an effort to organise the workshop in collaboration with SEED (Sabah Social Entrepreneurs & Eco Development) founded by Datin Jeanette Tambakau.
“The direction is clear, and the time to act is now. Today’s workshop is therefore an important step towards making artificial intelligence more practical, accessible and relevant to the people of Sabah.
“I hope the relevant government agencies, educational institutions and industry partners will continue to motivate and support Sabahans such as Joey, who are bringing home valuable knowledge, networks and opportunities for the benefit of the state,” the former minister said.
Urging the participants to explore the AI tools being introduced and consider how they can help them work smarter, strengthen their businesses and prepare for the digital economy, Liew expressed confidence that they will be able to work more effectively with these tools at their fingertips.
Meanwhile, she congratulated one of Sabah’s very own talents, Joey Goh, on representing Sabah and Malaysia in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Professional Fellows Program.
As the sole Sabahan selected for the 2025 Society and Governance Track, 29-year-old Joey spent six weeks in the United States learning from government institutions, community leaders and professionals, while building valuable international networks.
“As someone who has spent many years in public service, I am especially pleased to see a talented young Sabahan who is ambitious and globally-minded returning home not only with new knowledge and experience but also with a genuine desire to give back to her community,” Liew said.
Whie it would have been easy for Joey’s fellowship to remain a personal achievement, the former minister noted that, instead, the participant took the initiative to secure a reciprocal project grant and bring her American counterpart Philip Essington to Sabah so that more Sabahans could benefit from the experience. He is the Director of Business Information Services for Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States.
“This is the kind of leadership we should encourage among our young people, that leadership is more than personal advancement as it is also about creating opportunities for others and contributing to the development of our state.
“Sabah is proud of what Joey has achieved, and I hope that all stakeholders will continue to recognise and support young Sabahans who demonstrate this spirit of service and initiative,” Liew added.
Welcoming Essington to Sabah, she thanked him for travelling all the way from Minnesota to share his experience and expertise with the local community. “We are honoured that you have chosen to spend your time here and to contribute to this beneficial programme. I hope you will get to visit some of Sabah’s iconic tourist sites during your stay here.”
Among the guests were Liu Chaoyue (Secretary-General of Beijing Huairou UAV Industry Association, China), Li Wende (Chairman of Zhongling Kejian (Beijing) International Technical Service Co. Ltd), President of SEED Datuk Aminah Ambrose, and former Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Datuk Suzannah Liaw.
