KUCHING: Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg said yesterday Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was very happy with the achievements of Sarawak so far. “I would like to express my appreciation to the Prime Minister. Though his visit was semi-official, we had the opportunity to brief the Prime Minister on the state’s development and he was very happy with our achievements. We will work together although we are in different parties.
“And he has indicated just now that the cooperation and collaboration will be further boosted between the State government and the Federal government,” Abang Johari disclosed to the media after sending off the Prime Minister and his wife at the Kuching International Airport here yesterday.
According to Abang Johari, the Prime Minister has also offered a few suggestions to enhance the state development agenda. “He congratulated us on the success that we have achieved so far and he was quite surprised to see the big developments in Kuching,” he said. Abang Johari added: “I have also briefed the Prime Minister that we are not concentrating in Kuching but also going for rural development, particularly in terms of infrastructure.”
Dr Mahathir and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali arrived in Kuching on Saturday for a two-day visit. On Saturday, they attended the wedding reception of the grand daughter of Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s Chairman, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leo Moggie Irok at Cove 55 in Santubong.
Yesterday morning, the Prime Minister attended a briefing on the state development at Wisma Bapa Malaysia.
Apart from Abang Johari, among those at the airport to send the couple off were Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce and Finance Minister II, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Minister of Local Government and Housing, Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youths and Sports, Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Federal Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Chong Chieng Jen, State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani and Tan Sri Datuk Amar Leo Moggie.
It was Dr Mahathir’s first official visit to Sarawak after his appointment as the 7th Prime Minister after the 14th General Election.
