State set to be nation’s top earner by 2030

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HAPPY FEELING: Taib trying on a headphone presented to him as a memento after officiating at the state-level Civil Service Day. Also seen are Morshidi (left) and Yahaya. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung

KUCHING: Sarawak will be the top ranking economy in Malaysia once the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) project is fully implemented in 2030, Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud says.

Taib added that although he was satisfied with the state’s economy which is currently ranked third biggest in the country, efforts should be intensified to realise the mission of becoming the nation’s top ranking economy.

“Today, it is quite a happy feeling for me to see that we have become third in terms of economic ranking in the whole of Malaysia but I don’t think that it is the end of it. It is quite likely that when we have completed the SCORE programme, we will be the top state in Malaysia.”

Taib attributed the success of the state’s economy to the team spirit of civil servants both from the federal and state government departments and agencies in working towards the same goal.

In the effort to bring the state’s economy to greater heights, he said the state government which had extensive experience in areas such as timber trade, is opening up again to become a member of the highly competitive global trade to market commodities like palm oil.

“Through these activities, we will see more Sarawakians going out to participate in international trade. In fact, we have Sarawakians trading in countries like Nigeria, England, USA and even in Ivory Coast.

“This is the spirit that I see that ought to be nurtured to make Sarawakians to venture into a globalised world,” he said when launching the state-level Civil Service Day celebration here yesterday.

Taib said although the civil service in the state were not that large, but the spirit that had driven the civil servants to think out of the box in solving problems was the greatest gift that the civil service had given to its workers, adding that it was good for the civil servants to adjust to their new role to be part of the global trade.

“From the year 2015, we will be part of the Asean (Association of South East Asian Nations) common market and it will bring with it stiff competition from the original five members (Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand).

“We will be facing the prospect of trying to contain our cost of production compared to countries like Indonesia, the Philippines and probably Thailand but I do believe where we probably have to give way because of the rising pay structure that will come into Malaysia due to our economic development.

“Probably, because of this, we may need to undertake other areas of production and service that we are better qualified in and get better remuneration from it.”

Besides launching the Civil Service Day, Taib also launched the e-Government kiosk which will enable the public to obtain information on government services, as well access to government applications such as e-recruitment, bill payment, talikhidmat and e-information.

Among those present at the event were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohd Morshidi Abdul Ghani, State Federal Secretary Datuk Md Yahaya Basimin, Infrastructure and Communication Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin and Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.