Awg Tengah: Sarawak eyes top spot as SE Asia's investment hub with focus on sustainability, innovation
Awang Tengah speaks during the event. – Ukas photo
KUCHING (May 3): Sarawak will strive to emerge as a leading investment hub in Southeast Asia by offering a broad range of economic opportunities rooted in sustainability and technological innovation, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
According to a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) report shared on Facebook, he stated that the state is targeting to achieve high-income and developed status by 2030 through a range of strategic initiatives.
'Sarawak's strategic location on the island of Borneo places it in an ideal position to access the Asian market, which is home to over 4.5 billion people, equivalent to 60 per cent of the global population.
'With a landmass spanning 12.4 million hectares, Sarawak is endowed with a wealth of natural resources including fertile agricultural land, untapped forests, minerals, petroleum and natural gas,' he added.
He highlighted this in his welcoming address at the Sarawak Connects 2025 event held in London on Friday, which was officiated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Awang Tengah said the six key sectors that had been identified under the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 were manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, tourism, mining, and services — all of which offer substantial investment potential, with a strong emphasis on balancing economic progress with environmental preservation.
Moreover, he highlighted Sarawak's ambition to position itself as a regional leader in green energy, pointing to its vast potential of 20,000 megawatts in hydropower capacity.
He said major hydroelectric projects including the Batang Ai, Bakun, and Murum dams currently supply over 60 per cent of the state's energy mix.
'The concept of cascading dams and hydrogen economy initiatives has placed Sarawak at the forefront of global efforts in sustainable hydrogen production and distribution.
'Sarawak's investment offerings are also aligned with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, as well as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),' he added. Awang Tengah investment hub Southeast Asia
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