Gan Eng Chin

Tag: event

  • WWDC26 Apple Developer Event in Kuala Lumpur

    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.)

  • Claude AI Day

    Spent my Sunday 5th July morning catching up on the latest in AI at the Claude AI Day: Certified & Curious meetup at UOB Plaza, Kuala Lumpur! 🚀

    It was a packed session diving deep into the Claude ecosystem, real-world implementations, and the roadmap for the Claude Certified Architect program. As a developer, keeping up with the rapid evolution of these AI technologies is essential for building smarter, production-ready applications.

    A huge highlight of the morning was supporting my longtime friend, Ts. Tan Aik Keong (AK), CEO of Agmo Holdings Berhad. We’ve known each other since our Experian days (it’s been more than 10 years now, wow!), and it’s incredible to see him leading the charge for the AI community here in Malaysia to achieve an ambitious goal: 1000 Claude Certified Architects by end of 2026! 🇲🇾

    I was also glad to catch up with Daren Tan, CEO of ALPHV Technologies and founder of Developer Kaki. A big congratulations to Daren for winning the lightning pitch session! His presentation on building genetic testing DNA health reports powered by GenAI was incredibly insightful, and I really appreciate him taking the time to share some of his tech insights with me afterward.

    To top it all off, I managed to score 2nd place in the “How well do you know Claude?” Kahoot trivia challenge—missing the top spot by a mere 393 points! 🥈 Too bad there was only one prize for the winner. I’ll get you next time, Kegan! 😆

    Great insights, great networking, and a fantastic reminder of how vibrant our local tech ecosystem is becoming. Tech moves fast, but the goal remains simple: never stop learning, never stop doing. 💡

    (This post was first posted in my LinkedIn profile.)