Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today launched the Langkawi Digital carnival 2017, an initiative to serve as a platform for the development of a digital economy in Kedah.

Towards this end, various applications will be developed, including Mycribbooking for tourism and Cashless School.

State Science, Innovation and Information Technology, Communications and High Technology and Human ResourceCommittee chairman Datuk Norsabrina Mohd Noor regarded implementation of the initiative as a huge gift from the federal government to Kedah.

"These initiatives will be our preparations to face the digital revolution," she said in her speech at the event.

She said more than RM200 million had been allocated for the purpose towards making Langkawi the first digital island in Malaysia.

Norsabrina said there were many more projects to be carried out ,hence the need for continuous support and allocation from the federal government.

Meanwhile, Najib also visited several of the exhibition booths at the carnival, and also launched i-muamalat, a banking application by Bank Muamalat.

A total of 40 exhibitors participated in the two-day event held at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) here.

-- BERNAMA