KUCHING: Sarawak needs to implement its development programmes based on the state’s perspective while also taking into account the national perspective, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
“If Sarawakians themselves are not able to protect Sarawak’s own interests and rights, who else can do so? I believe it is not wrong for Sarawak to strive for greater development in order to become a developed state by 2030,” he said.
Abang Johari said that a developed Sarawak would also contribute to the development of Malaysia.
“If Sarawak is developed, Malaysia is also developed,” he said when launching the state-level National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang campaign at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) building here yesterday.
Abang Johari explained that Sarawak also required a strong and stable government at the national level.
Therefore, when there was uncertainty in Putrajaya at the end of February, the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government of Sarawak chose to support those considered capable of creating stability and supporting Sarawak’s development agenda.
“An unstable federal government would bring losses at both the national and state levels,” he said, adding that the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Plus government had proven it could govern the nation effectively, especially when faced with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Malaysia has been recognised as one of the best countries in terms of efforts in handling Covid-19. The post Covid-19 economic recovery programme is planned and implemented in an organised manner,” said Abang Johari.
He said that the GPS government’s stance was that Sarawak needed to look at its needs at a more micro level, especially in terms of infrastructure development which was vital to catalyse economic growth in Sarawak.
He said that the provision of physical and non-physical connectivity had been intensified over the past two years and would be continued under the 12th Malaysian Plan (12MP) until 2030.
The chief minister said that the state government also paid attention to the rural areas, with the implementation of various infrastructure and facility projects in the areas of the Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA), Highland Development Agency (HDA) and Northern Region Development Agency (NRDA) with an allocation of RM4.5 billion in total.
“This significant allocation is created through alternative funding. It is unlikely in the near future that this area will get such a large allocation for the purpose of developing infrastructure facilities if we have relied entirely on the annual federal budget,” he said, pointing out that work on the infrastructure projects in these three areas had already begun for the benefit of the people there.
On Internet connectivity, Abang Johari said that the state government was working hard to erect telecommunication towers all over the state.There were over 170 such towers so far. Without a service provider or ISP, this programme would not achieve its goal, he pointed out.
“Starting from now, the state government is determined to intervene to provide services through the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) with the possibility of providing subsidies so that the service charge is not so high for the rural people,” he said.
Abang Johari was confident that with these steps taken by the state government based on Sarawak’s needs, the state would be able to achieve a high level of economic growth and become a developed state in the next ten years.
Also present were DUN Speaker Datuk Amar Mohd Asfia Awang Nassar, State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, Sarawak Federal Secretary Mohd Shahabuddin Omar, Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, other Cabinet ministers and assistant ministers as well as heads of departments.
