Kota Kinabalu: Sabah’s adoption of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) must focus on solving real-world public service problems and improving citizen outcomes, rather than simply introducing new technology, said State Secretary Datuk Zainudin Aman.
He said that Ai should be used to help the State Government better to serve the people of Sabah while also creating tangible opportunities.
He said this in his keynote address at the opening of Sabah AI Connect at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), here on Monday. His keynote was delivered by Deputy State Secretary (Administration) Datuk Dr Jamili Nais.
“The message is clear, AI must help Sabah solve real problems, serve citizens more effectively, and create tangible opportunities across the entire state,” he said.
He said that the civil service must take the lead in identifying the appropriate problems, preparing reliable data, and accepting full responsibility for the outcomes of AI-driven initiatives.
“Before embarking on any Ai initiative, we should ask three simple questions: Are we solving a real and recurring problem? Do we have the data, people and safeguards to do it responsibly? And can we prove that the outcome will be better?” he said.
Zainuddin used Estonia’s digital government as an example, stating that existing government data could be used to proactively identify citizens’ needs and provide relevant services without requiring them to repeatedly submit information or visit government counters.
He said that such systems necessitated appropriate legal frameworks, eligibility rules, strong data governance, and adequate operational capacity.
He also mentioned the Longgang Smart City Command Centre in Shenzhen, which uses AI and computer vision to analyse thousands of live video feeds and detect anomalies like illegal dumping and unsanitary conditions.
“An AI alert remains an input that requires responsible human judgment. Officers must verify the facts, apply the law fairly and ensure that the public retains appropriate avenues for appeal,” he said.
He stated that Sabah should learn from such examples while ensuring that any AI solution is tailored to the state’s unique geographic, socioeconomic, and legal context.
Disaster management, rural service delivery, localized agricultural and fisheries intelligence, streamlined business licensing, and workforce skill matching were among the areas identified for AI use.
He advised agencies to first map their current user journeys, processing times, redundant steps, and bottlenecks before deciding whether the solution required regulatory simplification, workflow redesign, data cleaning, or artificial intelligence.
“Our goal is effective operational response rather than aesthetic dashboards,” he said.
Sabah Entrepreneurs Transformation (SET) Founder and President Dato’ George Lim Su Chung, who is vocal on the call for problem-driven AI adoption, said AI will have the greatest impact when the government, businesses, and communities learn from one another and work together.
George, who is also a co-organizer of Sabah AI Connect 2026, stated that AI has the potential to help government officers manage information, reduce repetitive work, and improve public services, as well as assist businesses in increasing productivity and developing new products.
“We should begin with the needs of people. A useful AI solution starts with a clear understanding of the problem. It must be supported by good data, capable people and responsible decisions,” he said.
George said the importance of this approach in ensuring that AI goes beyond demonstrations and results in long-term benefits for government, businesses, and communities.
He also said that Sabah’s entrepreneurs and talent must learn how to understand and use AI, as well as develop solutions that meet the needs of local industries and communities.
He encouraged the event’s participants, including government officials, businesses, technology providers, and researchers, to use the exhibition and discussions to identify challenges and pursue practical collaborations.
Meanwhile, Zainuddin said Sabah already had key foundations for data-driven government, such as the People Hub, Business Hub, and Geo Hub, as well as secure data-sharing mechanisms through the Data Integration and Interoperability Platform (DIIP).
“We cannot promise integrated services as long as government data remains fragmented and siloed within individual departments,” he said.
He added that AI adoption should be viewed as an executive leadership responsibility across the public sector, rather than just an information and communications technology function.
He said that public trust must remain central to AI adoption, with AI outputs validated, data protected, and human decision-making retained, especially for decisions affecting citizens’ rights, entitlements, and livelihoods.
He urged public-sector leaders to identify at least one high-value operational problem, form a dedicated team, and identify one specific next step toward addressing it through appropriate technology and process improvements.
He said that the ultimate test of Sabah’s AI transformation should be whether citizens received government services that were more responsive, accessible, and attentive to their needs.
