KUCHING, Nov 14 — Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Openg today said he wants to see more Sarawakian couples have children.

"It is our strategic national interest that we encourage the growth of the population of Sarawakians,” he said in his winding up speech in the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly here.

The chief minister said he has already announced a RM1,000 endowment fund for every Sarawakian born, regardless of ethnicity, religion and social status, as of the first day of next year.

He said the money will be invested in a fund and can only be withdrawn on the child's 18th birthday for his or her education.

"Ultimately we hope that it will encourage the increase the birth rate of Sarawak,” he said, pointing out that Sarawak has a small population of 2.8 million.

On another matter, the chief minister said that petroleum products that are sold locally will be exempted from the sales tax to be enforced next year.

"The imposition of sales tax on petroleum products is upon careful study and thorough analysis and I would like to give assurance that it will not burden the people as it will have no impact on the cost of living,” he said.

The chief minister also assured the business community that the imposition of the sales tax will have no impact on the cost of doing business in Sarawak, contrary to the ignorant opinion of some of the elected representatives from Sarawak Pakatan Harapan.