By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Sept 3: Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has proposed a practical model for Sarawak to collaborate with engineering institutions across Asia and the Pacific — “one challenge, one partnership and one pilot”.
He said Sarawak was ready to work with the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP) to identify real engineering challenges, bring together institutions, universities and industries, and test solutions under actual conditions.
“Let us begin with something practical: one challenge, one partnership and one pilot,” he said when officiating the opening of the 34th FEIAP General Assembly at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) here today.
Abang Johari said the solutions developed through such partnerships should be measurable, capable of being improved and eventually replicated elsewhere.
He stressed that Sarawak was offering FEIAP more than a venue for its gathering, positioning the State as a potential testing ground for new ideas and a partner in research, investment and talent development.
“We do not expect our partners to come with ready-made answers. We invite you to develop solutions with us; solutions that work under real conditions, improve people’s lives and can be adapted elsewhere,” he added.
He said Sarawak’s location in Borneo also placed it in a position to help connect knowledge and expertise across ASEAN and the wider Asia-Pacific.
Abang Johari said engineering would remain central to Sarawak’s next phase of development as the State moved beyond basic infrastructure towards integrating infrastructure, energy, technology, environmental sustainability and human talent.
He said the State’s future infrastructure planning would need to bring together roads, bridges, public transport, ports, utilities and digital networks, while ensuring rural communities were not left behind.
On energy, he said hydropower would remain the backbone of Sarawak’s energy mix, while the State continued exploring solar, bioenergy, hydrogen, energy storage and other low-carbon solutions.
“Our objective is not only to meet Sarawak’s needs, but also to support wider regional energy security,” he said.
Abang Johari also highlighted new economic areas including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and aerospace, saying all would require strong engineering capabilities.
He said Sarawak’s ambition was not simply to develop engineers for the State, but to equip Anak Sarawak to contribute at regional and global levels.
“My vision is not for Anak Sarawak to be educated here only to remain and work here. I want them to see the world, gain international exposure, work alongside the best and contribute wherever opportunities may take them,” he said.
The 34th FEIAP General Assembly, themed “Engineering the Sustainable Transition Through Innovation and Resilience”, brings together representatives from 25 member economies.
Abang Johari said the gathering, described as the largest in FEIAP’s 48-year history, provided an opportunity to turn engineering knowledge into practical solutions for Sarawak and the wider region.
He said the State was ready to explore partnerships that could move beyond discussion and demonstrate how engineering solutions could be developed, tested, improved and replicated. — DayakDaily
