SIBU, Aug 7 — Sarawak is on track this year to surpass the RM12 billion revenue recorded in 2022, said Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
He said this could be seen by the state’s revenue up until June.
“InsyaAllah our income is more than what we have recorded last year.
“I cannot reveal the actual figure to you yet but the trend is our revenue (this year) is more than 2022.
“Meaning to say if last year we recorded RM12 billion, if I say it is more than RM12 billion then it is more than that figure for this year.
“This also means we managed to increase our revenue that we will give back to carry out development projects in our state,” Abang Johari said during a gathering with the Sibu community last night.
The gathering was in connection with the State Development Coordination Committee Meeting (SDCCM) here today (Monday).
Abang Johari also called on community leaders to understand new policies being implemented by the state government.
He said Sarawak’s economy is developing well and is heading towards a new economy through the Post Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
The policies, among others, involved the introduction of the digital economy through technology, identification of the strength of state resources, carbon trading, hydrogen production, and mitigating climate change, he said.
“We have implemented these policies that must be understood by our community leaders because if they don’t, they will not know what is going on.
“For example, on spectrum (invisible radio frequencies which transmit signals) whereby under Sarawak Land Code we have the authority over the land and what lies within the land.
“Who has the authority over the space above the land? That is what we call ‘spectrum’. Spectrum is valuable because now we have WhatsApp, Instagram, and all of these use signals. We must have control over the spectrum,” he explained.
He added that with Sarawak recognised as a high-income state by the World Bank, it is vital for community leaders to understand these policies.
“Because there are those who still confuse the difference between per capita income and gross national income (GNI) per capita.
“So, we must increase the household income per capita through skills development, for example for those doing farming, do transition from using traditional methods to the use of Internet of Things (IoT),” he said.
At the same event, 10 longhouse chiefs from Sungai Machan and Sungai Poi in Kanowit received their communal land gazette under Section 6 of Sarawak Land Code from Abang Johari.
Among those present at the event were Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian and State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki. — Borneo Post Online
