By Goh Pei Pei & Alvedtekoster Anyap
KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is confident the political stability in the country would allow Sarawak to focus on urban and rural development using the digital approaches.
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Government, he said, has been placing greater emphasis on the digital economy and adding value to the state’s resources, to ensure long-term inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
He said this would continue to increase the investors’ confidence to ensure the state can achieve high income and developed status by 2030, with gross domestic product (GDP) to grow at an average of between six to eight per cent per annum.
Sarawak, he said, was focusing on landing a potential investment worth RM60 billion, thus, Sarawakians must enhance their skills and expertise to benefit from economic growth, especially after three years of COVID-19 pandemic.
“If Sarawak can progress well, Malaysia will success too. Hence, we must move forward as a team – that’s team Malaysia,” he said.
Speaking at the launch of the Sarawak-level 2022 National Month and the Fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here today, Abang Johari had also expressed his gratitude to the federal government, which had made several constitution amendments as to recognise the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report.
He said Malaysia was formed based on the agreements that had been signed among leaders from Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia – which must be respected in developing the country based on the Keluarga Malaysia approach.
“At such, we can maintain the peace and harmony which we are enjoying in the country, regardless of our races and religious background – like a big family,” he said.
Among those who present were Deputy Premier Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, DUN Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Minister of Youth, Sport and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department Datuk John Sikie, Deputy Minister of Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Deputy Minister of Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, State Secretary Abu Bakar Marzuki and Information Department Sarawak director Jaafar Jantan.
