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By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 16: Sarawak has made history for Malaysia and Asean, as Kuching has been chosen to host the International Water Congress and Exhibition in 2028.
Announcing this during the Malaysia Day 2023 celebration held at Indoor Stadium here, Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg proudly revealed that Sarawak has won the competitive bid for the event in France.
“Indeed, this is another significant milestone, particularly as we celebrate our 60th Malaysia Day, which all Malaysians can be proud of. We are here.
“The congress is expected to attract 10,000 participants from 80 countries. It will be held at the to-be-expanded Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) in 2028,” he said.
Abang Johari emphasised that this world congress is poised to generate substantial economic benefits and establish a legacy that will spearhead regional cooperation within Asean.
“Furthermore, it will also position Sarawak as a hub for sustainability and innovation in the global water industry. Kuching is now known to the whole world,” he said.
In his earlier remarks, Abang Johari highlighted the immense potential of Sarawak and Sabah, underscoring the need for their development to enhance both the State’s and the nation’s income and economic prosperity.
He shared that Sarawak had embarked on a journey to lay the groundwork for a digital economy since 2017, followed by establishing the Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
This strategy ensures Sarawak remains on track to achieve its vision of becoming a high-income and advanced region by 2030.
“Following the PCDS 2030 policy, Sarawak is quite ahead in several areas, including the development of the hydrogen economy, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), renewable energy production, carbon business, and sustainable energy from algae biomass.
“With the exploration of these new resources, and with the support of the Federal government, I am confident that Sarawak can become a new economic power in the country and even in the Asean region by 2030,” he added.
The Malaysia Day 2023 celebration was graced by the presence of acting Head of State Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar and his wife, Puan Sri Fatimah Mohd Iskandar.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and wife Dato Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and wife Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang; Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and wife Datin Seri Juliah Salang; Minister of Communication and Digital Fahmi Fadzil and Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi as ministers-in-charge, as well as federal and Sarawak ministers, were present. — DayakDaily
