Last Thursday, I attended my very first Apple Developer Event here in Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur. While much of the technical content mirrors what we can find online or catch during WWDC26, experiencing it live brought a completely different energy. Being able to ask questions and get direct, real-time insights from Apple representatives was an invaluable experience.
But as with most tech gatherings, the absolute highlight for me was the human element—networking, reconnecting, and learning from fellow builders.
A few highlights from the day:
🔹 The Power of Long-Term Connections: I was thrilled to bump into Arthur Wong ( 黄智昇 ). We first met back in December 2023 at a WordPress meetup. It was amazing to catch up on his progress. I still remember brainstorming with him back then on his real estate platform and his Tai Chi online booking project, where I had recommended leveraging WooCommerce Booking extensions. Seeing how projects evolve over time is one of the most rewarding parts of staying connected.
🔹 Serendipitous Community Reconnections: I was incredibly surprised to run into CheonFong Liew. As the main organizer for the WordPress KL meetups and a prominent figure in our local community, he was the last person I expected to see at an Apple event! It was an awesome surprise when he spotted me and called me out.
🔹 Exchanging Fresh Insights: I had the pleasure of meeting Olivia Lim Yun Xuan. We ended up exchanging insights on university scholarships and career trajectories. Having been a university scholarship recipient myself, it was just really nice to share some of my own experiences and hopefully give her some helpful context.
🔹 Tech & Bites: Over some light bites, I also connected with Shahrul Hisham Mohamad Subki for a quick chat, trading thoughts on the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and tools like Claude.
Unfortunately, I had to slip out early and missed the final mixer event, but the conversations I did have reminded me why I love our local tech ecosystem. Tech evolves fast, but it’s the community, the shared knowledge, and the commitment to never stop learning that keeps us moving forward.
If we connected at the event, let’s connect here on LinkedIn! 🥂
(This was first posted in my LinkedIn profile.)
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