MIRI: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is confident that Saberkas will be able to continue playing its role in the mainstream of development in the years ahead.
Describing Saberkas as a mature organisation that have gone through many development processes since its inception in 1973, Abang Johari , who is stepping down as president of the state’s biggest youth organisation, opined that it has been a platform in nurturing the young people of Sarawak on skills to evaluate and apply knowledge in ways that meet the new demands of social change.
He added, one of the Saberkas’ responsibilities was to prepare youths for the new era – beyond 2030.
“We have a vision to develop Sarawak into a developed State by 2030, and that our youths must get ready for 2050 to bring Sarawak into another level. That is why Saberkas is crucial in grooming and nurturing youths so that they will be able to adapt to the new era,” he said.
The chief minister pointed out that in order for Sarawak to move forward, the youths must be equipped with knowledge and skills.
“We are encouraging and giving technical support for our youths to learn new skills and knowledge so that they will be able to adapt to the new era,” he said at the opening of Saberkas’ 16th triennial general meeting (TGM) here today.
Announcing that he was stepping down to pave the way for younger leaders to lead the organisatiion, Abang Johari said, “Party leaders come and go, and leadership changes, I want to give space for the new leaders to lead Saberkas.”
“I believe Saberkas is mature and I’m confident with the leadership skills among the youths in bringing the organisation to a higher level in future,…I’m not going to overstay….I’m already 70 years-old, and imagine in the next 20 years, I will be 90 years-old, ” he said.
He recalled in the early establishment of Saberkas, 47 years ago, the vision and mission at that time was different compared to today.
“We’ve evolved and continue to adapt with the era, in the early days of Saberkas, we focused on industrialisation from agriculture … we’ve changed …training our youths in technical skills so that they adapt and now we are heading towards digitalisation era, we equip our young people with technological knowledge,” he said.
