Dr Sim (fifth right) in a group photo with guests at the dinner.
KUCHING (June 30): Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian encourages Sarawak Hawkers and Traders Associations to recruit members from other ethnic groups.
“This will strengthen the organisations and make it easier to fight for the welfare of everybody,” he said at a dinner organised by Kuching Samarahan Hawkers and Traders Federation recently.
Dr Sim said there were at least 75,000 hawkers in Sarawak, with about 50,000 of them using SPay Global, formerly known as Sarawak Pay.
“It can be seen that the hawkers have changed with the times. This spirit is commendable. However, there are more than 5,000 traders who still use bank accounts.
“I hope that hawkers can learn to master technology to face future challenges,” he said.
Dr Sim also believed that Sarawak needed economic transformation with the government going to set up Sarawak Sovereign Wealth Fund to make it (state) more prosperous.
He also thanked the voters for supporting Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) in the last state election, making Sarawak politically stable.
“DAP has said that Sarawak would go bankrupt but Sarawak is not bankrupt. Our revenue has increased instead. The GPS government will continue to lead Sarawak and Sarawakians,” he said.
He also commended Sarawakians for their solidarity during the Covid-19 pandemic and the various associations for carrying out the ‘Caring Food Aid’ programme to help the people.