KUCHING: Sarawak’s economy can develop and grow when private players from outside continue to have enough confidence to invest or set up their offices in the state.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari said with reference to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Malaysia’s decision to set up its seventh office in the country here.
“PwC’s presence here reflects the confidence that the company has in our economy and on how we run it,” he said yesterday during the launch of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Malaysia Kuching office at STA Building, Jalan Datuk Abang Abdul Rahim.
He said PwC, being a professional accounting firm, surely knows that Sarawak has a balanced budget.
“Sarawak is in the midst of transforming its economy from a conventional to a digital one, meaning that we have to use technology in order to add value to our resources,” he said.
He said in its development programme the state provides all the physical and digital infrastructure and utilities as long-term investments.
“Any allocation of fund for infrastructure is investment with both tangible and intangible returns. The moment we have all necessary basic infrastructure in place we can open up land which then gain economic value particularly for the agricultural sector,” he said.
The chief minister said the state’s strength is its food production, which is why it is important to diversify from traditional to modern agriculture.
“The state has also set up its Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office (Statos) in to enable the state’s products to reach at the global market. This means that when we have all the manpower, technology and infrastructure in place they will enhance our economy.
“And I am sure that PwC will advise us on the world economic trend and how we can position the state in this fast changing world particularly in technology,” he said.
