By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 31: Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is uniquely distinguished in Malaysian leadership for his clear vision and mission, especially in advancing Sarawak’s development, according to Khairy Jamaluddin.
According to a news report by TVS, the former Health Minister shared this view during a recent episode of ‘Keluar Sekejap’ podcast with his broadcast partner, Shahril Hamdan. Both praised Abang Johari’s insightful responses to various questions.
“Abang Johari is far from a novice in politics. His extensive experience is evident,” Khairy noted.
Shahril, who is also a former economics director at the Malaysia Prime Minister’s Office, highlighted Abang Johari’s profound understanding of the hydrogen economy and his strategic vision in this area.
“I think what’s also interesting is how deep his knowledge is in regards to his big bets on the hydrogen economy and so on.”
He emphasised the rarity of Malaysian leaders having such clear and actionable plans for their states, as exemplified by Abang Johari’s approach.
Both Khairy and Shahril also expressed surprise at Abang Johari’s explanation of how Sarawak’s pioneering efforts in the hydrogen industry are coupled with exporting hydrogen energy to Japan and South Korea.
The revenue generated, they noted, will be reinvested into critical infrastructure projects, particularly in rural areas, including roads, electricity, and clean water supply.
“How A leads to B leads to C. Whether things are accurate or not, but at least the vision is clear. So this is very, very good from the leadership of Sarawak,” explained Shahril who opined that many leaders in Malaysia fall short in this regard.
On Sarawak’s efforts to reclaim its rights such as in education and to strengthen Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) as the sole gas aggregator in the region, both Khairy and Shahril argued that it is time for the federal government to prioritise legal frameworks over political considerations.
They emphasised that Sarawak’s rights, as outlined in the Constitution and the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), should be respected.
Khairy highlighted that Abang Johari is guided by five key laws to safeguard Sarawak’s interests in oil and gas exploration in the region namely, the Sarawak Land Code, the Oil Mining Ordinance (OMO) 1958, the Gas Distribution Ordinance, the Federal Constitution, and MA63.
The podcast which was aired on July 22, in conjunction with Sarawak Day, was well received by Sarawakians viewers.
The 115th episode of ‘Keluar Sekejap’ also explored Sarawak’s political future and the latest developments concerning MA63. — DayakDaily
