KUCHING: An economic analyst said the 12 initiatives announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg recently were designed to strengthen Sarawak’s future economy.
Associate Prof Datuk Dr Madeline Berma said,” There is a strong focus on building a new type of infrastructure to help Sarawak’s economy recover after Covid-19.
“These initiatives will ensure economic resilience and lessen the impact of the pandemic,” she told New Sarawak Tribune on Sunday (Nov 15).
She was responding to Abang Johari’s winding-up speech during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) session on Friday (Nov 13).
The 12 initiatives planned out by Abang Johari to chart Sarawak’s way forward were Digital Transformation, Innovation, Education and Human Capital, Agriculture, Services Sector, Infrastructure and Utilities, Transportation, Renewable Energy, Tourism, Forestry, Manufacturing and Entrepreneur Development, and Mining.
“The state government recognises that the internet infrastructure is critical in supporting retail supply chains during the lockdown.
“As such, the initiatives, particularly digitalisation, will support smart supply chain and smart logistics, which will become indispensable to a functioning economy in the future,” pointed out Madeline.
She hoped the economic transformation generated by these initiatives would lead to a fairer and equitable distribution across income groups, ethnicities, regions and supply chains.
“As reflected in Sarawak’s development plan and 2021 Budget, the state is developing a digital economy.
“I hope the government will place people at the centre of digital technology and ensure that technology serves the people, and not the other way around,” she added.
