By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Nov 11: “We don’t play races here in Sarawak” is the principle guiding the Sarawak government’s development agenda, with Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg emphasising that every community, regardless of race or religion, must have equal opportunities to contribute to the State’s progress.
He said Sarawak’s recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) reflected its commitment to nurturing talent and valuing knowledge regardless of racial background.
“UEC graduates are given opportunities to pursue studies at Sarawak’s own universities and benefit from the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES), alongside students from other communities.
“There is nothing wrong with UEC because it is also recognised by foreign universities. It would be a waste if we don’t take them. We don’t play races here. We need people who have the knowledge, including Chinese children who studied in UEC,” he said when speaking at the Federation of Chinese Associations Sarawak’s installation ceremony for its new office bearers for the 2025-2028 term at a hotel here last night (Nov 10).
He identified education and talent development as crucial to breaking the poverty cycle, saying conventional approaches alone were insufficient to address poverty.
“The only way is to give education to the children, that will break what we call the poverty cycle,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of Mandarin proficiency in expanding Sarawak’s economic opportunities, particularly in trade with China, which has a population of 1.4 billion.
He said the ability to communicate in Mandarin should not be confined to any particular ethnic group, noting that Bumiputeras who speak the language could also benefit from business opportunities in China and other Mandarin-speaking countries.
“If you go to Chung Hua schools, there are many Bumiputera children studying there now. More and more Bumiputeras can speak Mandarin. Chinese and Malays are no different. Even some people think I’m Chinese,” he said.
With Sarawak’s population of about 2.6 million, he said developing local talent was essential to achieving the State’s gross domestic product (GDP) target of RM282 billion by 2030, compared with approximately RM160 billion currently.
While Sarawak had abundant natural resources, he stressed that skilled human capital and technological capabilities were necessary to realise its economic ambitions.
Abang Johari stressed that Sarawak’s political stability and harmonious relationships among its diverse communities had enabled the State government to focus on development for the benefit of all Sarawakians.
Congratulating the newly elected president and committee members, he described the federation as an important bridge between the public and the government, helping strengthen cooperation between the Chinese community, other communities and State leadership.
He said he was fortunate to enjoy good relationships with the Chinese community and other ethnic groups, adding that all communities shared similar aspirations for progress and deserved opportunities to advance.
“Like other communities, the Chinese community also need assistance, they also want progress,” he said.
The Premier said Sarawak’s development strategy focused on strengthening its economy and fiscal position before channelling the benefits back to the people.
He noted that the State’s revenue had doubled from RM6 billion since he became Premier nine years ago and was projected to reach RM15 billion next year.
However, he stressed that development required time and consistent policies that embraced every segment of society while preparing Sarawak for the demands of a new economic era.
He also said Sarawak must be prepared to take calculated risks and embrace emerging technologies rather than remain a follower, warning that countries which failed to position themselves early risked falling into the middle-income trap.
“Sarawak was positioning itself as a regional hub for sustainable and renewable energy, with targets to generate 10 gigawatts by 2030 and 15 gigawatts by 2035,” he said.
He called on the Chinese community to continue working closely with the State government and other communities to transform Sarawak’s economy and ensure the benefits of development reached all.
Abang Johari also cautioned against allowing divisive racial and political rhetoric to influence Sarawak, stressing that the State must preserve its culture of mutual respect and cooperation.
He reaffirmed that the government remained committed to its development agenda regardless of the election cycle.
“We are consistent, election or no election, we work,” he said.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian and Federation of Chinese Associations Sarawak president Dato Sri Richard Wee were among the distinguished guests present. — DayakDaily
