KUCHING: Sarawak is the third largest contributor to the Malaysian economy after Selangor and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
He said in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), last year the state contributed RM122.9 billion and its household income increased from RM936 in 1970 to RM4,934 in 2014.
Adenan also mentioned that the state’s poverty rate had decreased to 0.9 per cent from 56.5 per cent in 1970.
To ensure that Sarawak would continue to progress and be developed, he said the state government had embarked on the Sarawak Socio Economic Transformation Plan (SETP) – a comprehensive, balanced and integrated long term plan until 2030.
“Its objective is to enhance the income growth, to make closer the gap of the people’s income and to ensure that Sarawak is a progressive and a high income state by 2030,” he said in his National Day message in the souvenir programme of the state-level National Day celebration.
The Chief Minister thanked the federal government for the Pan Borneo Highway project which he hoped would uplift the state’s economy like what the North-South Expressway had contributed in Peninsular Malaysia.
He also noted that Sarawak was behind in many aspects such as infrastructure development and public utilities, especially for those living in the rural and coastal areas.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural Economy, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, in a similar message said the people in Sri Aman Division were happy that the division was chosen as the venue for the state-level National Day celebration this year.
On the celebration’s theme ‘#SehatiSejiwa’, he said it aptly reflected the importance of racial unity among Malaysians of different races and religions.
He reminded that they must also always uphold racial unity, spirit of tolerance and work closely with one another.
Uggah said the people’s strong support to the government’s programmes and its transformation plan was essential to ensure that Sarawak would continue to progress, be competitive and achieve a high income status.
Uggah, who is also the minister responsible for the celebration, thanked all the committee members and the various departments and agencies involved for displaying a high level of cohesiveness in making the celebration a success.
This year, Sri Aman Division is the host for the two-day celebration, which starts with a thanksgiving ceremony at Masjid Bandar Sri Aman in the evening of August 30 and the Merdeka gathering at the Sri Aman Sports Complex on August 31.