Awang Zamhari speaks at the Sarawak Land and Survey Innovation and Integrity Day. – Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad
KUCHING (Aug 20): The culture of innovation cultivated within the Sarawak Land and Survey Department is not solely about gaining recognition, but about creating meaningful reforms that add value to the people and the state, its director Awang Zamhari Awang Mahmood said.
He said the department’s successes to date reflect the collective commitment, creativity, and teamwork of its personnel across all divisions.
“Our culture of innovation is not just about the accolades.
“Whether it is a major achievement or a small step of improvement, every effort reflects the commitment, creativity and teamwork that form the core strength of the department,” he said during the Sarawak Land and Survey Innovation and Integrity Day (HIITS) 2025 here today.
Also present were State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and State Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development permanent secretary Datu Abdullah Julaihi.
Awang Zamhari said the department has reaffirmed its commitment to driving innovation and strengthening integrity in public service delivery, with 12 innovation projects showcased at this year’s HIITS.
“HIITS is the department’s signature brand, which was established as a catalyst to drive innovation and creativity at all levels of the organisation.
“This platform is not merely an annual event, but an ongoing avenue for nurturing a culture of generating new ideas, introducing more effective work methods and improving procedures and service delivery processes to remain relevant and impactful,” he said.
He said of the 12 projects presented by Innovative and Creative Groups (KIK), two featured physical product innovations with potential for widespread use in daily operations, while the remaining focus on system development to enhance service delivery efficiency.
“Even more encouraging is that this year’s system development projects have advanced further by exploring the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.
“This approach not only increases system capabilities in data analysis and smart decision-making, but also opens opportunities for automating routine tasks, reducing human error, and enabling faster and more accurate service delivery,” he said.
Awang Zamhari noted that the Sarawak Land and Survey KIK teams have achieved international recognition, citing the 2024 success of Land and Survey Limbang’s LANDS Tahai Q team, which won a Gold Award at the International Convention on Quality Control Circle in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
“Earlier this year, four Sarawak Land and Survey KIK teams also brought home multiple awards at the Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2025.
“These achievements reflect our determination to harness the latest technologies and position the department as a leader in innovation within the state civil service,” he said.
The event also recognised integrity and service excellence within the department where a total of 100 personnel from the Sarawak Land and Survey Department headquarters, Kuching, Samarahan, and Serian were honoured with the Excellent Service Award (APC) for 2024.
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