The Permenant Secretary of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Sabah, Zainuddin Aman at the programme
KOTA KINABALU: Bayu Hackathon, a collaborative programme of Forest Interactive Foundation, Jawala Plantation Industries, and Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Sabah, wraps up after a 36-hour Hackathon at Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu here from July 29 to 31, 2022.
Amir Kusyairie Arif, Brandon Ujin, and Munira Muhamad emerged as winners of the Best Project Award, with Transbot, a public transportation scheduling and booking system via WhatsApp chatbot, developed based on United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The team also received the Jury’s Award for its innovative and well-founded idea.
Donna Moncigil Losantas, Joeyanatasa Jona Dapanis, and Muhd Khuzairee Ekmal Samsudin were awarded the Best Idea Award with Borneo Swift, a bus tracking system to manage traffic congestion, while the Best Business Pitch Award went to Mohd Rona Abd Kasim, Dr Fatimah Sabrina Moahmmad, Meriah Osman with Sabah Disaster Preparedness Management (SDPM), a dashboard for flood control management.
Bayu Hackathon aims to drive diverse and inclusive digital growth by equipping the participants with specialized digital skills, increasing employment opportunities, and addressing the digital talent shortage in Malaysia.
The hackathon is part of Forest Interactive Foundation’s mission to provide educational platforms that are aligned with the industrial demands and ensure youths are able to keep pace with technological advancements.
With 51 shortlisted participants from Sabah, 17 groups came together to develop innovative and sustainable living solutions that address either United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 – Quality Education, 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy, 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, or 15 – Life on Land, centered on Sabah’s community issues such as accessibility to public transport and quality education.
“With the goal of developing future innovators in a fast-changing world, Forest Interactive Foundation shapes sustainable initiatives that can help students prepare for a future where they can thrive with technology. I am truly glad to see such talent and enthusiasm within our participants and commend them for the innovation they have put forth in this challenge.
“My deepest appreciation to Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI) Sabah for endorsing Bayu Hackathon and to Jawala Plantation Industries for entrusting us to develop the future game-changers of Sabah,” said Johary Mustapha, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Forest Interactive.
“Bayu Hackathon reflects our continuous commitment to provide a sustainable platform for future generations to have better career prospects.
“As a collaborative partnership with Forest Interactive Foundation and MOSTI Sabah, we fully support the trajectory of programs which provide opportunities for Sabahan youths to demonstrate and highlight their potential in the field of technology.
“It is also aligned with Jawala Plantation Industries’ slogan, Replanting Sabah’s Forest for Future Generations, expressing our relentless pursuit for sustainable solutions to build a better future for generations to come,” said Datuk Jema Khan, Chairman of Jawala Plantation Industries.
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk Yakub Khan said the challenges put forth in Bayu Hackathon reflect the real-world problems that we need to overcome with smart and innovative solutions.
“This programme is in line with our Sabah Maju Jaya ambitions to equip the community with digital skills and knowledge, as well as to nurture an intellectual, creative and innovative community.
“I welcome more public-private collaborations of such that will allow Sabah to continue being competitive in the technology industry,” he said.
The hackathon also featured two workshops titled Persediaan Melangkah Ke Alam Pekerjaan (Preparation to Enter the Workforce) by Yusri Bin Md Yusof, Founder & Consultant of Iman Consultant, and Pitching Workshop by Saverinus Kitingan, Co-Founder of Sabah Techpreneur Association (SATA).
The general public was also able to take part in this program via a mini career fair that was open to all, spotlighting internal and homegrown companies such as Agridata, Elty Delivery, GoNet, Ride Runner SabahNet, SynxSoft, YOPESO, Mindvalley, and Eduloco.
The jury consisted of Dr Cynthia Robert Dawayan, Senior Lecturer at Faculty of Business and Management UiTM Sabah; Ts. Faizal Heesyam, Assistant Technology Officer of the State Department of Computer Services at MOSTI Sabah; Johary Mustapha, Founder & CEO of Forest Interactive; Lim Tzyy Shyong, Chief Technology Officer of Mindvalley; and Ngeow Wu Han, VP of Product Management, Mindvalley.
All submissions for the hackathon challenge were evaluated based on a few criteria, including the innovation and creativity of the solution, the scalability and business value, the presentation as well as the technical implementation.
This nation-building hackathon received over 100 entries for registration, with several numbers of skillful applicants coming from cities in Sabah such as Kota Kinabalu, Menggatal, Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, with several applicants from Labuan.
Going forward, Forest Interactive Foundation welcomes partnerships with more government agencies to accelerate efforts to spur the digital economy and open up myriad opportunities by connecting tech talents to professional experts and industry leaders. Drop a line at info@forestcares.org to explore collaborative opportunities together.
Find out more information about Forest Interactive Foundation at forestcares.org
