KUCHING: Sarawak will continue to catch up in development with Peninsular Malaysia while closing the gap between urban and rural areas in the state.
Chief Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said it was a tall order and a sacred duty to carry on for the greater good of Sarawakians.
Abang Johari noted that one of the key thrusts for the state to achieve a well-balanced and sustainable economy is to empower its people with knowledge, skills and capabilities to navigate through a highly demanding future.
“This is because a vision cannot be carried through by a single person. It needs active participation and common will from all parties.
“Sarawak today is pacing our optimistic move towards achieving a high-income status by year 2030. This doesn’t give us much time, only a little over a decade to transform our state in all aspects of development through the Socio-Economic Transformation Plan (SET P),”Abang Johari said at the Petronas Education Programme (PESP) award presentation ceremony at Pullman Hotel here yesterday.
The text of his speech was read by Minister of Education, Science and Technology Research, Dato’ Sri Michael Manyin Jawong.
Abang Johari said Sarawak was already a top investment destination with a total investment of RM11.9 billion today, trailing only Johor.
To propel Sarawak into the future, the state needed to focus on new technology development and tap into its rich biodiversity to make forays into R&D. More robust infrastructure have to be developed to support such ambitions, but the key to unlock this opportunity and accelerate our pace is to develop brain power.
“Our emphasis on R&D could not be more amplified as we have set up the Ministry of Science and Technology Research for Sarawak. This calls for the right opportunities for the right talent and the right minds to emerge,” he said.