By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, May 18: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has explained that the seemingly slow progress in amending the Sarawak Labour Ordinance (SLO) was due to the State government’s cautious approach in safeguarding Sarawak’s rights.
Emphasising the weight of legal reforms, Abang Johari cited a Malay proverb: ‘biar lambat asalkan selamat’ (better late than sorry), and warned that unlike a boat that can be turned around, a misstep in lawmaking is harder to reverse and may require extensive debates, as seen with the ongoing gas rights issue.
“You all know what’s been happening recently. All the back-and-forth. Because we are defending Sarawak’s rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
“That is why, in the government, we are cautious. And that’s why we are a bit slow. This slowness is a form of sacrifice.
“Jangan esok hari kalau hak kita terhakis, ‘Ya kerja sidak Abang Jo marek, serah macam itu sahaja.’ Jadi saya dalam kerajaan berhati-hati (Don’t let it be that one day, when our rights are eroded, people say, ‘That’s because Abang Jo gave it away just like that.’ So I, in the government, am cautious),” he said.
Speaking at the ‘Sambutan Hari Pekerja Tahun 2025 Peringkat Sarawak’ held at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre here today, the Premier expressed gratitude to union leaders for their support and emphasised the importance of a strong tripartite relationship between the government, employers, and workers.
“All three parties bekerja dalam satu team macam ‘Ngap Sayot’. Dan semangat Ngap Sayot tok lah yang harus mengangkatkan pembangunan yang ada di negeri Sarawak (All three parties must work as one team, like ‘Ngap Sayot’. And it is this Ngap Sayot spirit that must elevate the development in Sarawak),” he added.
Abang Johari noted that Sarawak is one of only two Malaysian states with its own labour laws, a right enshrined in MA63. The State has since harmonised its SLO with the national Employment Act and international labour standards under the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The Premier also touched on the State’s economic transformation efforts under the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS), stressing the need for skilled and ‘smart’ workers in the face of global challenges like climate change and technological disruption.
He said traditional economic models based on land, labour, and capital were now outdated, with modern economies increasingly driven by knowledge and innovation.
“Bill Gates doesn’t own land, so why is he rich? He has no land. He didn’t even have capital at first. He used venture capital and partnered with others. Today, the whole world uses Bill Gates’ software – Windows,” he noted.
Highlighting Sarawak’s push into hydrogen energy, Abang Johari said the State is blessed with natural resources such as rain and rivers, and must now focus on building human capital to match its ‘natural capital’.
He revealed that a Sarawak-born scientist working in the United Kingdom (UK) had recently developed an (AI)-powered chip sought after by major tech companies, underscoring the potential of Sarawakians on the world stage.
“I’ve already informed the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and requested his support once our international intellectual property rights are secured. Our people are capable of competing globally,” he said.
The event was attended by various dignitaries and officials, including Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration, and Project Monitoring), Datuk Gerawat Gala, and Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki. — DayakDaily
