Today marks a significant milestone as Kre8tif! East officially launched in Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia in collaboration with the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC). Since its inception in 2009, the Kre8tif! brand has served as a cornerstone of Malaysia’s creative industry, with events traditionally held in peninsular Malaysia. Now, for the very first time, this flagship platform of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) extended its reach to East Malaysia, taking place on 14 and 15 May.
The event was officiated by Wilson Ugak Anak Kumbong, deputy minister of Digital Malaysia, who emphasised the importance of this expansion in recognising and harnessing Sarawak’s creative potential. He was joined by Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak; Sudarnoto Osman, CEO of SDEC; Encik Kolony Anak Gunting, Director of the Sarawak Regional Office, Ministry of Digital; and Fadzli Abdul Wahit, senior vice president of MDEC — all of whom expressed strong support for this landmark initiative.
Held under the theme “Kre8tif! East: Empowering Tomorrow’s Creators, Today,” the event serves as a dynamic platform to support the growth of the creative industry. It provides opportunities for talent development, meaningful networking, and cross-industry collaboration aimed at fostering innovation and creative excellence across the region.
In a landmark move, Malaysia’s MyTV signed an MoU with MDEC.
Among the distinguished speakers was Hassan Muthalib, widely regarded as the “Father of Malaysian Animation,” who delivered insights on visual storytelling in animated films. He discussed how elements such as framing, camera angles, colour, light, and shadow are instrumental in advancing a narrative.
In the session titled “A Magical Journey: Creative Development from Concept to Brand,” Toon2Tango creative producer Alice Burden explored the process of developing original content, the importance of creative risk-taking, and the value of authentic storytelling.
Burhanuddin Radzi, founder of Les’ Copaque Production and creator of the immensely popular IP Upin & Ipin, shared his guiding principles for building a successful franchise. He was joined by Streamline Studios CEO Alex Fernandez, who discussed the expansion of Upin & Ipin into the gaming industry.
Fly Studio CEO Wee Meng Hee, spoke on the evolution of a local animated feature in his talk “From Local Roots: The Animation Journey of A Mighty Adventure”. Algoin Tech CEO Ayden Lim presented insights on game development using Unreal Engine 5. Meanwhile, Datech Solutions senior technical consultant Thomas K. Lawatanu addressed optimising production pipelines with Autodesk tools.
The event concluded with a networking session, offering attendees the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and lay the groundwork for future creative partnerships.
