KUCHING: Sarawak will focus on six strategic thrusts during the 11th Malaysia Plan, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
He said the state would strategise economic growth, strengthen growth enablers, transform the rural areas, ensure sustainable environment and resource management, and develop human capital as the catalyst of growth and enhance the quality of life.
“Efforts will be taken to transform the state economy from commodity-based to more value-added economy. This will be achieved through industrialisation, capitalising on the availability of natural resources in the state.
“The timber industry will be further developed to ensure more downstream activities are carried out to produce high value-added finished products to meet the global market. Steps will be taken to reduce the export of logs to strengthen the development of these high valued-added downstream activities,” he said when tabling the state’s 11th Malaysia Plan during the one-day State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday.
Adenan said his administration had identified areas in the state that could be developed into food basket and agriculture production zones that would fit into the global supply chain.
“We need to organise and mobilise our local farmers to collaborate with the right investors that bring along with them capital, technology and market. Efforts will also be made to develop more agriculture supporting infrastructure and to strengthen transportation and logistics.”
He said the success of SCORE would also be replicated in other parts of Sarawak, especially in the rural areas, to open up the hinterland to achieve balanced regional development.
He added that major cities in the state would be developed as growth poles through both the concept of urban expansion and urban renewal.
“The government will continue to implement various initiatives, including training, incentives, business facilities and financial assistance to strengthen their participation in commerce and industries.”
He said the state would intensify efforts to develop growth enablers, namely roads, airports, ports and utilities such as water, electricity, telecommunication and ICT infrastructure.
“Sarawak is the new frontier of economic growth for the nation. For this to happen, it requires substantial amount of funding. We will continue to engage and work closely with the federal government to seek more funding to develop the required infrastructure so as to improve the quality of our transportation and logistics within the state.”
He said more rural roads would be constructed and the coverage of electricity and water supplies in the rural areas would be expanded.
Eco-tourism represented another potential industry that would be further developed, he said, adding this could be done by leveraging on the existence of large stretches of natural rainforests, water bodies, islands and man-made lakes of HEP dams that could be developed as resorts.
“We will make sure that during the planning stage, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approvals for major projects must always be obtained first before they can proceed with implementation.
“We will strengthen our sustainable forest management practices. This will be done through better management and control of logging activities, especially in the Permanent Forest Estate. We will protect our rainforest and maintain our eco-system through the establishment of more Totally Protected Areas.”
Adenan added an integrated waste management system would be built to cater for both domestic and scheduled wastes from the Samalaju Industrial Park and its surrounding areas.
On human capital development, he said more technical training institutions, including the Centre of Technical Excellence (Centexs) and Sarawak Skills Development Centre (PPKS), would be built across the state.
“Programmes and activities to enhance awareness on the importance of technical education among our youths, especially from the rural areas, will continue to be carried out through the Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputera Sarawak or TEGAS.”
To enhance the quality of life, he said the government would develop urban centres in a holistic and integrated manner to ensure the cities and towns “are liveable, modern, beautiful, green, healthy, economical and culturally vibrant with active people participation.”
He asserted that the government would continue to help the low income group through the implementation of various programmes to create economic opportunities for them.
“The state government will work closely with the federal government to increase and upgrade the health facilities and services to meet the needs of the growing population, especially in the rural areas.