KUCHING – Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus and Borneo Eco Fish Sdn Bhd have partnered on a Ministry of Higher Education-funded research project aimed at supporting small-scale tilapia farmers in Batang Ai.
The partnership on the Batang Ai Tilapia Social Innovation Project was formalised through a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed by Swinburne Sarawak Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Dato Professor Ir Lau Hieng Ho and Borneo Eco Fish Sdn Bhd Managing Director Thomas Hii Tiong Kong on behalf of their respective organisations.
Held at Swinburne Sarawak on 12 October 2026, the MoA signing ceremony was witnessed by Datuk Dr Philip Ting Ding Ing, President of the Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a member of Swinburne Sarawak’s Board of Directors.
The one-year project, which has been awarded RM108,000 in funding, will explore practical ways to improve fish survival rates, farm productivity, and income among small-scale tilapia farmers at Batang Ai.
The research team from Swinburne Sarawak comprises lead Dr Tan Vie Ming along with team members Ts Dr Tan Lee Tung, Dr Rebecca Lee Su Ping, and Ts Dr Richard Belanda Dagang.
The collaboration brings together the university’s research expertise and Borneo Eco Fish’s industry experience, including its knowledge of the local tilapia supply chain and the challenges faced by farmers.
Dr Tan Vie Ming (left), (from third left) Dr Rebecca Lee Su Ping, Ts Dr Tan Lee Tung, Thomas Hii Tiong Kong, and Ts Dr Richard Belanda Dagang during their visit to Batang Ai on 23 September 2026.
Dato Lau described the MoA as a shared commitment to innovation, collaboration, and community empowerment.
“At Swinburne, we believe that impactful research must extend beyond academic boundaries and generate tangible benefits for society,” said Dato Lau in a speech delivered on his behalf by Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Ir Sim Kwan Yong at the ceremony.
“Beyond improving fish production and operational efficiency, this project aims to strengthen household income stability, enhance technical competencies, and increase resilience among rural farming households,” he added.
Dr Tan Vie Ming said the project exemplified Swinburne Sarawak’s commitment to applied, impact-driven research that responds directly to industry and community needs.
“By combining academic expertise with industry knowledge and farmer participation, it reflects the university’s strategic focus on co-creating practical solutions to rural challenges while supporting sustainable livelihoods, innovation, and regional development,” he said.
(From left) Ts Dr Richard Belanda Dagang, Dr Rebecca Lee Su Ping, Dr Tan Vie Ming, and Thomas Hii Tiong Kong (right) during their visit to fish farmers at Batang Ai on 23 September 2026.
In August, the Swinburne Sarawak research team held a roundtable session to refine the project’s implementation and discuss the intended outcomes and proposed interventions. These measures include farmer training, improved farming practices, better selection of fish fry, digital water quality monitoring, a proposed bamboo raft concept, and a potential buy-back arrangement.
Digital monitoring is expected to provide farmers with information on water quality to support more informed farm-level decisions, while the other proposed measures address different stages of production, from the selection of young fish to the sale of harvested fish.
The discussion also covered farmer selection, the feasibility of the proposed measures, and how the information gathered during the project could inform future improvements to tilapia farming. Participants also shared perspectives on the project’s potential contributions to food production, rural livelihoods, and longer-term development.
From left) Dr Rebecca Lee Su Ping, Associate Professor Ir Dr Chua Hong Siang, Dr Tan Vie Ming, Dato Jonathan Chai Voon Tok, Leila Sim Ah Hua, Thomas Hii Tiong Kong, Ts Dr Tan Lee Tung, and Ts Dr Richard Belanda Dagang after their roundtable discussion during the Industry-University-Community (IUC) Summit 2026 at Swinburne Sarawak on 12 August 2026.
Also participating in the discussion were Hii, Sarawak Business Federation President Dato Jonathan Chai Voon Tok, and Sarawak Development Institute Chief Executive Officer Lelia Sim Ah Hua. Their feedback provided the research team with industry, business, and development perspectives in preparation for the project.
“We welcome any research effort carried out by agencies to further improve the fish farming industry at Batang Ai Dam,” said Hii.
Through this partnership, Swinburne Sarawak and Borneo Eco Fish look forward to translating research into practical solutions that help Batang Ai’s tilapia famers boost productivity and build more sustainable livelihoods.
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