CENTEXS and Huawei Malaysia Launch CENHUA 2.0 to Propel Sarawak’s Digital Workforce and Expand into ASEAN

TL;DR:

• CENTEXS and Huawei Malaysia have launched CENHUA 2.0, a deepened strategic partnership to elevate Sarawak’s technology talent and expand their collaboration into the ASEAN region.
• The new initiative will focus on joint certification courses in AI, developing academic content with industry case studies, and applying AI to CENTEXS’ data.
• A Digital Leadership Excellence (DLE) Programme will be introduced to empower Sarawak’s digital leaders with global technology best practices.
• Huawei will also provide mentorship and support for job placements for CENTEXS trainees and graduates.
• The partnership aims to leverage Sarawak as a model for other ASEAN countries, with the goal of expanding their joint efforts regionally.

The Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak Sdn Bhd (CENTEXS) and Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Huawei Malaysia) have officially launched CENHUA 2.0, marking a new chapter in their strategic partnership. The collaboration, established under a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is designed to expand technology skills, foster innovation, and equip Sarawak’s workforce for the demands of a rapidly evolving ASEAN digital economy.

The new phase of this partnership will focus on three key areas:

1. Skills and Certification: Joint industry-based certification courses will be developed in emerging technologies, with a strong focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
2. Innovation and Content: The two parties will work together on developing academic content that integrates real-world industry case studies and explores the application of AI on CENTEXS’ organizational data.
3. Leadership and Employability: The collaboration will explore bringing Huawei’s Digital Leadership Excellence (DLE) Programme to Sarawak to empower digital leaders. Huawei will also provide dedicated mentorship and support for job placements to strengthen graduate employability.

“We are taking this partnership to the next level,” said Dato Haji Syeed Mohd Hussien bin Wan Abdul Rahman, CEO of CENTEXS. “With Huawei, we are going deeper into areas like data centres and how to create another Large Language Model for Malaysia. This is the start of CENHUA 2.0, expanding from Sarawak and Malaysia into ASEAN. Many ASEAN countries already view Malaysia as a model, so now is the right time to act.”

Simon Sun, CEO of Huawei Malaysia, echoed the sentiment, “The future is about collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. By combining Huawei’s global technology expertise with CENTEXS’ strong local foundation, we can deliver programs that empower talent, promote innovation, and create long-term economic value.”

The MoU signing ceremony took place during the ASEAN AI Summit 2025, formalizing the next step in a partnership that began in 2017. Over the past seven years, the “CENHUA” collaboration has played a crucial role in nurturing a globally certified workforce and bridging the digital divide in Sarawak.