Premier: S’wak aims to achieve 3 goals to upli economic ecosystem

Sarawak has three goals to achieve this year as the Year of the Dragon rings in, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

In his Chinese New Year message, Abang Johari said Sarawak wants to acquire Bintulu Port, the country’s main port for liquefied natural gas; MASwings for the establishment of the state’s own airline; and a major stake in Affin Bank to help local small and medium entrepreneurs.

According to him, the acquisition of these three major platforms is crucial in upli ing Sarawak’s economic ecosystem.

“Firstly, as you may already be aware of, a er 43 years of its establishment, we want to take back Bintulu Port from the federal government.

“This is not only because it should be under Sarawak’s power according to the constitution, but also because Sarawak needs to comprehensively plan its port development that encompasses the whole of Sarawak, including its resource-rich hinterland.

“This is much like taking back Bakun Hydro from the federal authority to enable us to be in control of the power to determine our own power tariff in order to a ract investment in energy-intensive industries in Sarawak, especially in the Samalaju Industrial Zone near Bintulu,” he said.

Abang Johari said Sarawak having its own airline would serve not only rural areas but also provide connectivity to selected destinations in the Asian region.

“We need to invest in creating air linkages between Sarawak and the rest of the region, not only to bring in tourists but also to facilitate air travel to boost business and investment in Sarawak.

“Sarawak is situated on an island and the only way to bring people in is to fly them in. I hope that we can finalise the negotiation with the federal authorities soon and gain control of the airline within this year, God willing.”

As for the stake in Affin Bank, he said it is to provide Sarawak a financial platform to boost the economy further through the development of SMEs and entrepreneurship.

“I am confident that we can conclude the negotiations soon so that we can participate actively in the running of the bank and be able to serve Sarawak’s interest well,” he added.

Apart from that, Abang Johari said Sarawak is transforming the way of producing hydro power.

He pointed out that the state’s strength lies in its wealth of natural resources that include water and sunlight.

“We have harnessed about 3.5 gigawa of our hydro potential with an overall potential of 20 gigawa . For the future, we would want to change the way of producing hydro power by using energy from running water instead of creating a large reservoir of water that would certainly flood a large area.

“We also want to harness in a big way the solar energy potential particularly using the floating solar panels in our hydro dam reservoirs.”

With Sarawak having a substantial amount of natural resources, the premier said the people must exploit this to their advantage wisely.

“It must be exploited in accordance with the goals set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that are meant not only to boost the economy as measured by the growth of GDP but also to benefit the people across the board.”

He thus said Sarawak is on the right track in developing its economy towards achieving advanced status by 2030.

He said the optimism for Sarawak’s continued prosperity is palpable under the able leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and the support of his dedicated Cabinet members.

The relentless efforts of the government, as guided by the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, have positioned Sarawak on a trajectory of sustainable growth, driven by innovation and creativity, toward an economic resilience, shared prosperity and ecofriendly country, he added.

“As Sarawak continues to forge ahead on its path of growth and development, the government’s commitment to economic prosperity, social justice and welfare, and the inclusive policies, will remain unwavering.

“In Sarawak, the acceptance of the rich tapestry of cultural and religious diversity naturally serves as a unifying force that binds the community together.

“It has long been a cherished tradition to honour and celebrate each other’s festivals, fostering a sense of respect and unity among the multi-racial inhabitants of Sarawak,” Wan Junaidi said.

This commitment to sharing and enjoying diverse festivities, he pointed out, has been instrumental in creating a harmonious society, showcasing the unity in diversity that has become the hallmark of Sarawak.

“On behalf of my family and myself, once again I extend my heartfelt good wishes to the Chinese community in Sarawak for a truly joyous Chinese New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai.”