Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg wishes the entire Dayak community a happy Gawai.
KUCHING (May 31): Sarawakians especially the Dayaks must continue to work hard for the region to achieve a developed and prosperous status in the eyes of the world, said Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
The Premier pointed out that Sarawak’s economic transformation under the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) administration was not based on luck but required hard work and far-sighted planning through the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“PCDS 2030 is based to three pillars, namely economic prosperity, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
“I am confident that all our projects will be implemented and, by 2030, Sarawakians will have the opportunity to enjoy high salaries once Sarawak achieves its status as a developed and high-income region.
“There are already several programmes and development projects proposed until 2050, which will continue to ensure Sarawak’s progress beyond 2030,” he said in his Gawai Dayak 2024 message.
Abang Johari said South Korean investors had regarded Sarawak as an area with much potential as a green energy hub in the Asian region.
According to him, three Korean companies are strengthening their commitment to take the next step to realise the H2biscus project in Bintulu, which will produce hydrogen and ammonia as clean fuel.
He said one of the Korean companies had submitted a proposal to build an integrated facility focusing on green energy, and the project cost was expected to reach USD460 billion until 2050.
He added that the Sarawak government had expressed commitment to ensure the project in Bintulu will become a reality, serving as another programme to continue driving Sarawak’s economic transformation based on green energy.
“In addition, I will hold meetings with international companies from Arab countries that aspire to cooperate with Sarawak in the green energy industry.
“The European Union (EU) through ambassadors of each country has visited Sarawak and expressed their willingness to collaborate with Sarawak in the same field.
“This shows that foreign investors are confident in Sarawak’s commitment and the direction of building an economy based on consumption and the production of green energy in line with the global measures in tackling climate change,” he said.
In ancient times, Abang Johari said the life of the Dayaks revolved around the tradition of growing rice that only aimed to support the family or subsistence farming and not in the form of business.
He, however, said today’s harvest depended a lot on the use of technology and machinery as well as advanced paddy cultivation and rice production with limited resources.
Therefore, he said he had asked the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu branch campus to work on research in Gedong and Lubuk Punggur, Simunjan to improve rice production with high quality hybrid seed.
“The study using the new method has shown that one hectare of paddy can produce eight tonnes of rice in one season compared to the old method, which can only produce one tonne.
“With this new method, farmers are able to plant as many as five seasons in a period of 24 months. Studies are also being made to produce enough hybrid seed for use throughout Sarawak,” he added.
In the meantime, Abang Johari said the power obtained by the Sarawak government from the federal government was due to the relationship between the federal government and the Sarawak government as well as certain provisions in the Federal Constitution, Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and Inter-Government Committee (IGC) Reports, which were the basis for the formation of Malaysia.
He pledged that GPS government will continue having negotiations with the federal government for the return of all the state’s rights that had been eroded over the decades.
In conjunction with this Gawai Dayak celebration, he said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a leader who takes care of the interests of all races.
He hoped that the Dayak community will continue staying united as Sarawak is on the right track to achieve its developed and high-income status by 2030 with various initiatives implemented by the GPS government.
He also appealed to the Dayak community to set aside differences and emerge as a progressive and dynamic race in this challenging era.
“My wife Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tuanku Bujang and I wish the entire Dayak community a happy Gawai, ‘Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai Lantang Senang Nguan Menua’,” he added.
