
Premier: Sarawak ‘open for business' with long-term growth vision
Abang Johari (left) gestures as he speaks during the forum. – Premier's Office photo
KUCHING (May 3): Sarawak is now 'open for business', brimming with opportunities that promise mutual benefits for both investors and the state, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
'What I want to emphasise is that Sarawak has immense potential for future growth. We have stability, and we have a rational populace.
'We also have a clear roadmap with policies that remain consistent regardless of who holds the Premier's Office, extending even beyond 2030,' he said during a Fireside Chat moderated by Lord Jonathan Marland in conjunction with the Sarawak Connect London 2025 Forum yesterday.
During the forum, Abang Johari shared his vision for Sarawak's development and called for global collaboration in shaping the state's future, according to a report shared on the Sarawakku Facebook page.
The Premier said that with a long-term development plan charted up to 2035, Sarawak is well positioned for sustainable investment.
He pointed out that Sarawak seeks strategic partnerships to accelerate innovation, technology adoption and green investment in renewable energy and carbon storage initiatives.
'If you can answer three questions positively – Is there risk? Can you generate profit? Is it sustainable? – then Sarawak is the right place for you,' he assured.
Abang Johari said Sarawak has a stable government, long-term vision and openness to international partners, hoping that the visit to London would unlock new opportunities, benefiting both investors and the people of Sarawak.
Organised by the state Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED), the Sarawak Connect 2025 Forum convened key UK investors and business communities to explore collaborative ventures.
Earlier, Deputy Premier and Minister for MINTRED Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan also spoke at the forum.
Among those present were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki as well as deputy ministers and senior government officials.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Malay Mail
8 hours ago
- Malay Mail
New circular agriculture plan aims to tackle Sarawak's sky-high beef costs, says Abang Johari
GEDONG, June 8 — The state government is actively developing a new approach to reduce dependency on imported cattle and feed by introducing a sustainable circular agriculture model, said Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg. This initiative aims to address the high cost of beef in the state, which has been reported as among the most expensive in the country, reaching up to RM95 per kilogramme (kg) Abang Johari attributed the current high prices primarily to Sarawak's heavy dependence on imported cattle and feed, particularly from Australia. 'We currently import cattle, including those we rear in Australia under SEDC (Sarawak Economic Development Corporation). 'However, the export tax imposed by Australia is quite high and payments are made in Australian dollars, which drives up the cost,' he told reporters after attending the Ibadah Korban Ceremony at the Al-Kawthar Mosque here today. Abang Johari said the new strategy involves implementing feedlot farming systems instead of traditional open grazing, allowing cattle to be reared using locally-produced feed derived from agricultural waste mixed with napier grass. This, he noted, would enhance cattle health and quality, leading to better yields. 'I have been to Lubok Antu and seen the potential of using plantation waste to produce biomass. This biomass can be converted into animal feed, which means we no longer need to import feed. 'Healthy, well-fed cattle are heavier, which means more value, whereas if the cattle are thin, no one will want to buy them,' he said. He also said that trials under this model are already being conducted through various government agencies. He said by producing animal feed locally and intensifying livestock farming under controlled conditions, the government hopes to eventually increase local beef supply and bring prices down to a more affordable level. 'We have 38 palm oil mills across the state that produce palm kernel waste. This can be used as livestock feed and even to generate bio-gas and bio-feed, contributing to a full circular economy,' he added. Abang Johari emphasised that the initiative is still in its early phase, having started two years ago. He noted that upon becoming Chief Minister six years ago, this was one of the priorities he looked into, but groundwork only began about two years ago. He expressed hope that these efforts would not only make beef more affordable but also improve incomes for local farmers, especially as Sarawak remains highly dependent on Australian beef imports. 'The long-term goal is to make our agriculture sector self-sufficient, ensuring stable supply so that demand can be met and prices controlled,' he said. A national daily had earlier reported that the average price of beef in Sarawak stands at RM64 per kg, significantly higher than in other states where prices range between RM27 and RM48 per kg. In some cases, premium cuts such as fillet can fetch prices as high as RM95 per kg, making Sarawak's beef among the most expensive in the country. — The Borneo Post


Borneo Post
8 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Abang Johari: Sustainable farming model key to lowering Sarawak's beef prices
Abang Johari (second right) seen participating in meat cutting during the Ibadah Korban Ceremony at the Al-Kawthar Mosque in Gedong today. – Photo by Roystein Emmor GEDONG (June 8): The state government is actively developing a new approach to reduce dependency on imported cattle and feed by introducing a sustainable circular agriculture model, said Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. This initiative aims to address the high cost of beef in the state, which has been reported as among the most expensive in the country, reaching up to RM95 per kilogramme (kg) Abang Johari attributed the current high prices primarily to Sarawak's heavy dependence on imported cattle and feed, particularly from Australia. 'We currently import cattle, including those we rear in Australia under SEDC (Sarawak Economic Development Corporation). 'However, the export tax imposed by Australia is quite high and payments are made in Australian dollars, which drives up the cost,' he told reporters after attending the Ibadah Korban Ceremony at the Al-Kawthar Mosque here today. Abang Johari said the new strategy involves implementing feedlot farming systems instead of traditional open grazing, allowing cattle to be reared using locally-produced feed derived from agricultural waste mixed with napier grass. This, he noted, would enhance cattle health and quality, leading to better yields. 'I have been to Lubok Antu and seen the potential of using plantation waste to produce biomass. This biomass can be converted into animal feed, which means we no longer need to import feed. 'Healthy, well-fed cattle are heavier, which means more value, whereas if the cattle are thin, no one will want to buy them,' he said. He also said that trials under this model are already being conducted through various government agencies. He said by producing animal feed locally and intensifying livestock farming under controlled conditions, the government hopes to eventually increase local beef supply and bring prices down to a more affordable level. 'We have 38 palm oil mills across the state that produce palm kernel waste. This can be used as livestock feed and even to generate bio-gas and bio-feed, contributing to a full circular economy,' he added. Abang Johari emphasised that the initiative is still in its early phase, having started two years ago. He noted that upon becoming Chief Minister six years ago, this was one of the priorities he looked into, but groundwork only began about two years ago. He expressed hope that these efforts would not only make beef more affordable but also improve incomes for local farmers, especially as Sarawak remains highly dependent on Australian beef imports. 'The long-term goal is to make our agriculture sector self-sufficient, ensuring stable supply so that demand can be met and prices controlled,' he said. A national daily had earlier reported that the average price of beef in Sarawak stands at RM64 per kg, significantly higher than in other states where prices range between RM27 and RM48 per kg. In some cases, premium cuts such as fillet can fetch prices as high as RM95 per kg, making Sarawak's beef among the most expensive in the country. abang johari cattle circular agriculture model lead


The Star
7 days ago
- The Star
Sarawak on track to develop energy hubs
KUCHING: Sarawak is developing four strategic energy hubs which are projected to unlock investment opportunities worth between RM350bil and RM430bil, says Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (pic). He said these are the renewable energy hub, natural gas hub, hydrogen hub and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) hub. 'Each of these hubs plays a complementary role, working together towards a common and critical objective, ensuring energy security for Sarawak, today and for generations to come. 'Additionally, the Sarawak government will introduce a suite of comprehensive and forward-looking policies, including Sarawak Hydrogen Economy Roadmap, Sarawak Sustainability Blueprint, Sarawak Energy Transition Policy and Sarawak Energy Efficiency Roadmap,' added Abang Johari in the Sarawak state assembly. He expects the energy hubs to create some 44,000 new high-value jobs for Sarawakians, adding that these jobs will be generated by new industries, which can boost opportunities for local small and medium enterprises, attract domestic and foreign direct investments and strengthen Sarawak's regional and global competitiveness. Saying that Sarawak's journey towards becoming a global leader in green energy is gaining strong international momentum, Abang Johari said the recent maiden export of methanol to China from Bintulu and the launch of green methanol project by state-owned Sarawak PetChem Sdn Bhd had sent clear signals that Sarawak is moving up the clean energy value chain. 'As part of our ongoing low-carbon transition, we are also advancing infrastructure that support cleaner energy systems, including the development of hydrogen-ready technologies, such as our combined cycle gas turbine facility.' He said these initiatives aim to boost energy efficiency, strengthen power security and open potential interconnections with neighbouring regions, such as Sabah and Brunei. 'These efforts have not gone unnoticed. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recognised Sarawak's leadership in this transition. 'Bintulu has been nominated as Malaysia's first candidate for the WEF Transitioning Industrial Cluster (TIC), a reflection of WEF's confidence in our ability to balance industrial growth with sustainability. 'As we engage key players in Bintulu and Samalaju (where energy-intensive industries are operating) to formalise our TIC Statement of Ambition, we are not just preparing for recognition in Davos early next year. 'We are laying the foundation for Sarawak to stand among global leaders in shaping the low-carbon industrial future,' he added. TIC are geographic areas where co-located businesses and industries collaborate to transition from traditional practices to cleaner, low-carbon operations aligned with net-zero goals. To-date, 35 industrial clusters have signed on to the initiative and they include Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Ohio Clean Hydrogen Hub Alliance in the United States and the Kawasaki Carbon Neutral Complex in Japan. The premier has been invited to share Sarawak's green energy ambitions at the WEF annual meeting of the new champions in Tianjin, China, on June 26. Abang Johari said in view of Sarawak's growing role in the global energy sector, he had directed state-owned Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) to undertake a review and restructure its organisational framework. This involves the separation of power generation and distribution, where power generation will involve investments from the private sector. SEB will continue its function as the single buyer for electricity distribution in Sarawak. 'We have already seen a strong interest from private sector players in implementing large-scale solar and other renewable projects, such as bio-energy and waste-to-energy initiatives. 'The development of new renewable energy sources through the independent power producer model is central to Sarawak's ambition of achieving 10GW of total installed capacity by 2030 and 15GW by 2035. 'Under the upcoming Sarawak Energy Transition Policy, we have set a target for renewables to make up at least 60% to 70% by 2025,' he added. Abang Johari said the restructuring of the SEB is key to ensuring the utility body is fully able to drive Sarawak's vision of becoming both a 'Battery of Asean' and a renewable energy powerhouse. On the state's ambition to establish an aerospace hub, he said a Sarawak-Airbus joint task force will be set up to formulate a roadmap for the development of the state's aerospace industry, involving expertise from both parties. During his recent visit to Airbus' headquarters in France, Abang Johari said the aerospace company is supportive of Sarawak's ambitions and had proposed the Airbus-Sarawak Kenyalang Strategic Partnership Avenues, which will cover six key areas. These are paths towards sustainable aviation fuel production; human capital development; industrial ecosystem development; digital airline journey; Airbus consulting project for Air Borneo; and airspace operation. Also discussed was the development of an aerotropolis in Sarawak, which will include the new Kuching International Airport. The new airport, which is targeted to accommodate more than 15 million passengers annually, will embody modern, green architectural principles and be equipped with cutting-edge systems to ensure a seamless passenger journey, from check-in to boarding. 'The development of our new international airport and deep seaport in Kuching will involve private sector investments and not only be funded by the Sarawak government. 'There has been expression of interest by the private sector, local multi-national and international corporations to spearhead the projects,' said Abang Johari.