Good future on the cards for S’wak
SARAWAK’S economy is expected to grow between five per cent and six per cent next year, says the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Speaking at the special meeting on 2022 State Budget, he said this year’s economic growth is supported by external demand and improvement in domestic economic activities.
He said this is an improvement compared to the growth of three to four per cent projected this year.
“For 2022, the growth is projected to improve to between five per cent and six per cent with the reopening of global economies and domestic businesses under Phase 3 of the National Recovery Plan,” he said at the meeting held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK).
Abang Johari also said the state government’s continuous efforts in ensuring Sarawakians are fully vaccinated and creating a safer environment for all segments of the population, have stepped up the progress of recovery.
Under the post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), the Sarawak government aims to make the state a thriving society where its people would enjoy economic prosperity driven by data and innovation.
Abang Johari said this outcome was based on the Action and Implementation Plan (AIP) of the PCDS 2030 which had laid down steps and actions to be taken to achieve the new development.
“We are accelerating our infrastructure development to improve the standard of living, grow our economy to provide business and job opportunities and train our people to be resourceful and increase their income level,” he said at the launch of the AIP of the PCDS 2030 here earlier this year.
Abang Johari said under the 12th Malaysia Plan, Sarawak had earmarked RM63 billion to implement people-centric initiatives under the first phase of the PCDS 2030 and this amount would be over and above the projects allocated by the federal government for the state.
“Therefore, we need to have an efficient implementation plan so that we can deliver the projects based on the funding, time and specifications. Many delayed projects were due to poor project management and had deprived the rakyat of enjoying the projects meant for them,” he said.
Abang Johari said he had also reorganised the Sarawak Cabinet after the recent 12th State Election to strengthen the state government’s service delivery under the current challenging period to address the people’s high expectations, as well as to remain focused on achieving the PCDS 2030 objectives.
As the chairman of the Sarawak Economic Action Council (SEAC), he said the council would be emphasising on developing business models that would focus on harnessing the value of the state’s natural resources.
“The development of the industries shall be planned based on its upstream opportunities as well as its midstream and downstream productions and exportability. Hence, we invite private sector players and conglomerates to collaborate with us to unlock such opportunities,” he said.
Abang Johari said the Sarawak government would collaborate with credible private sectors to capitalise on the carbon market potentials, including payment for ecosystem services within the legal framework to ensure transparency and accountability.
“The target for carbon trading potential is approximately RM140 million to RM230 million based on the current average price of carbon. This is an immediately implementable initiative which represents only 10 per cent of the forestry sector under the Green Economy initiatives in Sarawak,” he added.