By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 23: The Sarawak government has signed a landmark RM5 million Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Universiti Malaya (UM) to establish the ‘Kursi Derma Kekal Yang Amat Berhormat Premier Sarawak’, an endowed academic Chair focused on advancing the State’s development in the New Economy.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, who witnessed the signing ceremony at Wisma Bapa Malaysia in Petra Jaya here today, described the initiative as a strategic move to prepare Sarawak for a future driven by technology, sustainability, and innovation.
Abang Johari also emphasised that the Chair represents more than just an academic title — it serves as an engine for intellectual progress, innovation, and informed policy-making.
“This is more than just a Chair; it is a platform to generate new ideas, conduct impactful research, and shape future policies,” the Premier said in his speech, according to a Jabatan Penerangan Sarawak news report.
All these focus areas, he added, are aligned with Sarawak’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its broader efforts to address climate change.
He further noted that the initiative will also include the annual ‘Kuliah Yang Amat Berhormat Premier Sarawak’, a public lecture series designed to foster dialogue among policymakers, academics, and industry leaders.
“I hope this Lecture Series will bring together not only policymakers and industry leaders, but also the academic community such as our universities, researchers and scholars, who play a vital role in shaping ideas and informing decisions,” he said.
The Premier expressed confidence that the collaboration would enhance Sarawak’s intellectual capital and equip policymakers with timely, research-based insights to support better governance and strategic future planning.
“All publications resulting from the study will be shared and made readily accessible to the Government of Sarawak and its agencies. This accessibility will provide Sarawak’s policymakers and agencies with critical, up-to-date insights,” he added.
The Sarawak government has agreed to contribute RM5 million to UM for the establishment of an endowed Chair, the ‘Kursi Derma Kekal Yang Amat Berhormat Premier Sarawak’, aimed at advancing knowledge and expertise in the New Economy.
The funds will serve as a foundation to generate investment returns, which will be used to strengthen research, publications, and services within the framework of the New Economy and its regulatory dimensions.
Present at the ceremony were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian; Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki; Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Corporate Affairs and UKAS), Datuk Abdullah Saidol; Legal Advisor in the Premier’s Department, Dato Sri Talat Mahmood Abdul Rashid; Chairman of Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Sdn Bhd, Datuk Amar Jaul Samion; and UM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato Seri Ir Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman. — DayakDaily
