Abang Johari’s vision shows he cares deeply for Sarawak
I REFER to John Teo’s article “Masters of their own destiny” (NST, July 14) on Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Abang Openg’s mission.
Abang Johari’s vision is to turn Sarawak into a digital economy powerhouse with fast Internet connection and virtually wiring the state, and turning it into a renewal energy powerhouse.
He also envisions building a light rail transit from Kuching to Serian and the Indonesian border. There is also a proposal to build a deep sea port in Tanjung Po.
These infrastructure and economic projects show that Abang Jo is passionate about the wellbeing of Sarawakians.
As mentioned by the writer, Sarawak needs highly skilled manpower, which is unavailable there.
There is, therefore, an urgent need to train engineers, managers, technicians in heavy industries and digital technology, as well as economic planners and designers.
That will be feasible in the long run. But, in the short term, Sarawak needs to import these workers on a massive scale and design a programme of technology transfer for the benefit of Sarawakians.
The other ingredient inherent in the visionary projects is finance. The state must have the financial capability to initiate and complete these projects, most likely through foreign partnerships, foreign direct investments, borrowings and channeling its reserves.
The planners must think of the opportunity-cost factor in such financial considerations.
There is a disparity in infrastructural and economic development between the urban and rural areas, which form almost 90 per cent of Sarawak.
In its exuberance to step up urban technological and commercial developments, the state must not jeopardise the ecosystem.
There must be a balance in physical developments and sustaining the environment.
These developments must be accompanied by a change in the mindset of people, especially those in the rural areas.
They must be prepared to accept the challenges arising from these developments, which will require a change in lifestyle.
The rural mentality dominates in major parts of Sarawak, where the lives of the people are entwined with the environment, which provides the basis for their spiritual and artistic expressions.
Their sacred rituals involving the environment are an integral part of their existence.
One cannot change their mindset overnight. It will take a few generations, through education and social reengineering, to lead them into a new phase.
But, the changes must not impact on the heritage of tribal communities, whose existence is geared towards the physical, metaphysical and spiritual elements of the environment.
In their quest to develop the state into a technologically and digitally-savvy environment, the authorities should not aggravate the imbalance between the urban and rural communities.
They must balance and improve the standard of living of the rural communities.
Abang Jo’s efforts and planning are laudable, and if implemented, taking into account rural communities, will augur well for the wellbeing of Sarawak.