By Marlynda Meraw
KUCHING, Dec 3: Sarawak is now entering the ‘harvest period’ of its earlier strategic investment and is on a realistic path to achieving its ambitious target of RM282 billion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030.
Delivering his winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting, Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg highlighted that the State’s clear progression in economic growth, coupled with a robust pipeline of committed investments, provides the confidence necessary to meet the Sarawak Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 goals.
“From 2021 to 2025, Sarawak’s GDP is expected to grow from RM132 billion to RM154 billion—a cumulative increase of about RM22 billion in just five years,” told Abang Johari to the august House.
“This shows that the harvest period of our earlier investments is already beginning to take off.”
To him, Sarawak is a land abundantly blessed with rivers and forests; minerals and energy reserves; and seas and mangroves.
Abang Johari, who is also Gedong assemblyman, stressed that the resources alone are not enough to guarantee prosperity, noting that the historical risk of the ‘Dutch disease’ in resource-rich countries.
“It is how we use our resources, with wisdom and foresight that will determine whether Sarawak’s wealth today becomes enduring wealth for generations of tomorrow,” he said.
Abang Johari shared that he formally presented the strategy for the final phase of PCDS 2030 with the launch of Sarawak’s 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), covering the period from 2026 to 2030.
The plan, he said, represents an acceleration of the development agenda to propel Sarawak towards becoming a thriving, inclusive, and globally competitive economy.
He confirmed that to reach the 2030 GDP target, the State requires roughly RM100 billion in additional GDP; a growth that will be led by committed and projected investment in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, digitalisation, commercial agriculture, and major construction projects.
“With this clear progression in GDP and the scale of investments coming onstream over the next five years, we can say with confidence that Sarawak is on a realistic path to achieving its GDP target,” he affirmed. — DayakDaily
