Taib (second left) arrives to a warm welcome at Hotel Seri Malaysia to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri with the people of Lawas. Accompanying him is Awang Tengah (left).
LAWAS: The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) has attracted RM54.4 billion in investments, including RM12.87 billion and RM8.58 billion for the proposed steel and methanol plants at Samalaju Industrial Park (SIP) in Bintulu respectively.
This was disclosed by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan when speaking at the Lawas District Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration with Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and his wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Raghad Kurdi Taib at Hotel Seri Malaysia here on Wednesday.
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, said the investments had created many job opportunities and huge economic spin-offs for the business community in the state.
Excluding the steel and methanol plants, a total of 22 projects in SIP worth RM33 billion were already operational or approved for implementation, he added.
“This is the brainchild and legacy of Head of State and former Chief Minister Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who has the vision, leadership quality and planning to uplift Sarawak from the economic backwaters,” he said.
He further said that Sarawak has consistently been among the top investment destinations in the country in recent years due to efforts made by the state government to make the state conducive for industrialisation.
In paying tribute to Taib, Awang Tengah described the Head of State as the ‘Father of Modern Sarawak’ and also ‘Father of Sarawak’s Unity’ for the state’s unprecedented development and bringing together people of different creeds, races and backgrounds.
Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Urban Development and Natural Resources, said the concept of COME (Change, Opportunities, Mobility, Equality) introduced by Taib during his tenure as Chief Minister was translated into reality in the state, with the people now able to enjoy prosperity, development and mobility.
Now under the leadership of Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, he said the state government is not resting on its laurels but is pushing for greater development through digital economy.
“We are elevating the digital economy structure and this is so vital that the government is ready to spend a lot of money to upgrade the telecommunication infrastructures,” he said.
At the same time, attention is also given to rural transformation aimed at diversifying the economic base further by encouraging agro-business, e-commerce and other industries in the state, he added.
On Lawas, he said he looked forward to it developing horticulture, agro-business and livestock industry given that the Highland Development Authority has been established.
Also present at the function were Awang Tengah’s wife Datuk Dayang Morliah Awang Daud, Assistant Minister of Agriculture Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Assistant Minister of E-Commerce Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais, Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, Limbang Resident Datu Maria Hasman and Lawas district officer Hussaini Hakim.