Abang Johari speaks during the press conference. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (May 11): The Sarawak government is considering revising state constituencies this year, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the government will provide their views on considerations in determining the new constituencies to be created by the Election Commission (EC) in the near future.
“The exact number of seats to be added has not been determined, as the decision lies with the EC. However, we are proposing constituencies with a mixed demographic, ensuring representation from all races.
“Additionally, it is essential to maintain a balanced representation between urban and rural areas,” he said in a press conference held after he presided over a Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) annual general meeting (AGM) at the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) headquarters today.
According to Abang Johari, who is also GPS chairman, the AGM was held in accordance with the constitution where in addition to regular meetings, an AGM is a mandatory requirement.
The meeting served as a platform to discuss various issues and topics, with one of the primary topics discussed being the direction set by the federal government to fortify the economy and attract investments to Malaysia.
“I shared with our component parties that Sarawk is also actively engaged in similar endeavours.
“During a recent trip to the United Kingdom, we placed significant emphasis on the semiconductor industry where we forged an understanding with Compound Semiconductor Application Catapult of the United Kingdom in collaboration with the British government to facilitate training and our involvement in semiconductor production or chip design.
“Notably, these chips differ from conventional ones due to advancements in generative AI hence they are referred to as compound chips,” he said.
He added that the federal government was also advancing its efforts in AI promotion, evident from the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding the establishment of an AI faculty in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
“Consequently, I provided an overview of Sarawak’s vision for the semiconductor industry in alignment with these national initiatives,” he said.
Abang Johari also briefed GPS component parties on their involvement in the energy economy, particularly renewable energy.
“We also delved into our relationship between GPS and the federal government. It’s crucial to note we are not affiliated with Pakatan Harapan or any political coalition in Peninsula.
“GPS stands as its own entity, contributing to both stability and as a member of the federal government. In essence, we aid the federal government in stabilising politics, thereby fostering the nation’s development economically and socially,” he said.
