Kota Kinabalu: Sabah must embrace rapidly advancing technology in infrastructure development while ensuring quality and established standards are not compromised, said Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Joachim, who is also the Works and Utilities Minister, said the construction and infrastructure sector was changing rapidly, with modern work methods, wider use of technology and data-driven decision-making becoming increasingly important.
“However, as we pursue technological advancement, we cannot compromise on standards. Standards ensure quality, while technology improves efficiency,” he said when officiating the inaugural Borneo Empowerment in Standards and Transformation (BEST) Conference 2026 on Tuesday.
He emphasised that the combination of both would enable the industry to deliver infrastructure that was of higher quality, safer and more sustainable, in line with the conference theme, “Strengthening Standards and Empowering Infrastructure Technology”.
Joachim said technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), could also help the industry find more efficient and cost-effective ways of developing infrastructure, but stressed that the usefulness of AI depended heavily on the quality and comprehensiveness of the data available to it.
“Without data, you cannot make much use of AI. The more comprehensive the data we have, the more accurately AI can assist us in carrying out the tasks we need,” he said.
He noted that Sabah faced significant challenges in developing infrastructure due to its vast geographical area, dispersed population and varied terrain, including hilly, swampy and peat-soil areas, as well as exposure to ground movement, fault lines, earthquakes and flooding.
“These factors can make infrastructure implementation more complex and increase costs,” he said, adding that the State Government remained committed to providing the best facilities and infrastructure possible within its available resources.
Therefore, Joachim said every development needed to be carefully planned, implemented according to high standards and managed with integrity to ensure its benefits could be sustained for present and future generations.
He also stressed that infrastructure development was not the responsibility of the Government alone, but required cooperation among the Government, industry, higher education institutions, professional bodies and the community.
“When all parties share the same goal, we can produce better solutions and accelerate the development of the State,” he said.
Joachim said the BEST Conference provided an important platform for stakeholders to share experiences, exchange views and strengthen cooperation in infrastructure development in Sabah and Sarawak, while fostering a culture of knowledge, innovation and professionalism.
He said funding, infrastructure and technology alone could not guarantee successful development, as the ultimate factor remained human capital.
“We can provide funding, build infrastructure and introduce technology, but true success still depends on human capital,” he said, calling for greater emphasis on professional competency, knowledge sharing and lifelong learning.
He encouraged engineers, architects, surveyors, technical officers, contractors and young professionals to use platforms such as BEST to enhance their knowledge and build networks that could contribute to the State’s development.
Joachim also expressed hope that BEST would continue beyond its inaugural edition and develop into a respected platform for knowledge and innovation, strengthening standards, innovation and professionalism in the infrastructure sector in Sabah and Sarawak.
Also present at the event were Sabah Maju Jaya Chief Coordinating Officer Datuk Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai; Sabah Public Works Department Director Baharuhom K.K. Sogon, represented by Deputy Director (Roads Sector) Hafez Shabuddin; Sabah Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya; representatives from the Federal Works Ministry and CIDB; and BEST Conference 2026 programme director.
