KUCHING, Aug 21, 2026 — Sarawak is positioning itself to become a regional hub for animation, games and digital content as the Borneo Animation and Games Festival (BAGFest) 2026 brings together creators, investors, technology companies and industry leaders from Malaysia and abroad.

The festival, held in Kuching, is being positioned not simply as an entertainment event but as a platform to connect talent and companies with investment, technology and international markets.

Speaking at BAGFest, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said Malaysia’s digital creative industry had already established a strong economic foundation, generating more than RM92.5 billion in revenue and RM12.1 billion in exports, while creating over 11,000 high-value jobs and attracting RM85.7 billion in investments.

He said the next step was to build stronger Malaysian companies, develop more intellectual property (IP) and create pathways for local talent and businesses to expand into regional and global markets.

“BAGFest 2026 is not simply a celebration of animation and games. It is about creating opportunities for our talent, helping our companies build new partnerships, and enabling Malaysian ideas and intellectual properties to reach larger markets,” he said.

Gobind said Sarawak was particularly well placed to contribute to Malaysia’s digital creative ambitions, given its distinctive cultures, stories, growing digital ecosystem and pool of creative talent.

“We want to see more ideas developed here, more IPs created and owned here, more companies growing here, and more high-value jobs created here,” he said.

He said Malaysian animation and digital content had already demonstrated their global potential through homegrown IPs such as Upin & Ipin, Ejen Ali and Mechamato, while Malaysian talents were contributing to major international games and productions.

Sarawak’s diverse cultural heritage, communities and biodiversity could similarly provide a rich source of stories that could be developed into animation, games, films and other forms of global intellectual property.

Representing Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, the representative at the festival said Sarawak’s creative economy was closely aligned with the state’s Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), which seeks to establish Sarawak as a developed and high-income region driven by data and innovation.

The representative said animation, games, films, immersive media and digital content should be regarded as economic assets capable of generating jobs, attracting investment, promoting culture and creating intellectual property.

“BAGFest is not merely a festival. It is a platform that brings together talent, technology, industry, investment and community,” the representative said.

The Sarawak Government said the festival also demonstrated the value of cooperation between the Federal and state governments, particularly through the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC).

Gobind said such collaboration was essential to ensuring Malaysia’s digital growth was not concentrated in one geographical area.

He said the country was on track for the digital economy to contribute 30 per cent of national GDP by 2030, with an additional 500,000 high-value digital job opportunities expected over the next four years.

For Sarawak, the objective is to turn its existing creative strengths into a sustainable industry.

The state representative said this would require a complete ecosystem covering talent development, industry exposure, production, commercialisation, intellectual property, marketing and international distribution.

BAGFest is already providing some of these opportunities.

Gobind said the festival had brought together Malaysian and international creators, studios, publishers, investors and technology companies, while creating practical opportunities for emerging talent.

Through the MYFutureJOBS Metaverse Career Fair, organisers are targeting at least 1,500 job seekers, while up to 100 students have been given opportunities to present portfolios and receive feedback from industry experts.

More than 100 participants have also attended workshops covering areas such as AI-generated content and Unreal Engine for animation and games development.

The festival has additionally facilitated 200 business-matching opportunities and pitching sessions, involving 20 buyers seeking connections with potential partners and markets.

The Sarawak Government also highlighted the importance of bringing creative content directly to communities.

One example is the revival of Wayang Pacak, or outdoor film screenings, which combines public spaces, digital technology and community engagement.

Through Cinewav’s app-based audio technology, audiences can watch films outside conventional cinema settings, potentially bringing Malaysian content to communities with limited access to cinemas.

The initiative could also be expanded through future events such as the Kuching Light Festival and a wider Wayang Pacak tour across Sarawak, including towns such as Kapit through the SDEC Digital Innovation Hub network.

The Sarawak representative said the state’s ambition was not merely to host festivals but to build a creative industry where creators could develop ideas, studios could collaborate, investors could identify talent and communities could participate in the digital economy.

Gobind similarly urged industry players and international guests to look closely at Malaysian and Sarawakian talent, encouraging them to form partnerships, invest in local ideas and help take Malaysian IP to international markets.

He also urged young creators to use BAGFest to build networks, gain industry exposure and showcase their capabilities.

The two levels of government said the festival represented a shared ambition to turn Malaysia’s creative strengths into sustainable economic opportunities while giving Sarawak a stronger role in the country’s digital future.

With its combination of local stories, emerging talent, technology and industry access, BAGFest is expected to strengthen Kuching’s position as a potential regional meeting point for the animation, games and wider digital creative economy.