Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem says every race has a place in the state.
He said Sarawak was not created by the so-called ‘divide and rule’ tactic, but built on mutual consensus, spirit of cooperation and give and take, and the genuine desire to see it on par with more developed states, if not better.
“Sarawak belongs to each and every one of us who call ourselves Sarawakians…we built Sarawak based on mutual respect and the value of human dignity among its people of various races and religious beliefs.
“Sarawak is for everybody and Sarawak is big enough for everybody,” Adenan said in his Chinese New Year message.
Although there might be differences in opinion, he said they could be overcome if there was respect for each other’s opinion and efforts were made to solve the problems amicably.
The chief minister applauded Sarawakians for respecting each other’s belief and tradition and upholding the value of human dignity as the basis of their relationships.
“Truly, there are not many places like Sarawak where the people are able to live as brothers and sisters and such spirit of brotherhood must prevail,” he stressed.
Adenan went on to say that the Chinese community had always been an important part of the state’s political and economic life.
“I sincerely invite the Chinese community to continue working with the government to develop Sarawak… Chinese community must have a meaningful representation in the state government in order to be able to continue working effectively with other communities in our common efforts to ensure the progress and prosperity of Sarawak,” he asserted.
He reiterated that he is the chief minister for all Sarawakians, regardless of race and political inclination and he needs the support of the people.
Adenan also said the state cannot afford to rest on its laurels although it has a strong economy with a big reserve and good credit ratings.
According to him, industrialisation and sustainable development were the way forward.
He was confident that the industrialisation programme under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) would enable the state to progress by 2030 and beyond, and hoped that that the Chinese community, with their business acumen and resources, would continue becoming the engine of growth to support and drive the state’s industrialisation programme.
With regards to Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), Adenan said he had written to the Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Education Minister, to seek ways on how UEC could be given due recognition by the government.
Adenan also repeated his call to curb illegal logging and increase natural forest cover, adding that the electricity tariff for industrial consumers might also be reduced depending on the outcome of negotiations with Sarawak Energy Berhad.