ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
KUCHING: Sarawak has an aggressive agenda in post movement control order (MCO) economic development particularly on the digital sector.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed asserted that digitalisation would be the main driver of the economy in Malaysia.
“Besides that, I was informed that the agriculture sector will also be given more attention in the state,” he said at a press conference held after a joint meeting with the Regional Corridor Development Authority (Recoda) and the business community at a hotel here yesterday.
He added that during the discussion, they also touched on issues related to business and development along the border with Indonesia and Brunei.
“We are also discussing the potential on Indonesia’s shifting of capital city from Jakarta to Kalimantan and the business potential is quite large.
“Thus, we want to be a developed country and Sarawak also intends to become a developed state by 2030,” he said.
He explained that they were also briefed on the manufacturing sector through Japanese and Chinese companies that have already invested and would increase their investment here.
“It means the manufacturing sector in Sarawak has grown rapidly,” he noted.
Mustapa said domestic tourism was also increasing. However, there are constraints for international tourism as borders are still not open.
“For businesses, we understand that the opening of the border is important, but we cannot rush this because we are worried about the possibility of a second wave of Covid-19.
“Sarawak has also recorded excellent success in dealing with the Covid-19 situation and we are quite confident that the prospects for progress in Sarawak are good.
“The close cooperation between the federal government and the state government with the presence of four ministers from Sarawak also assures us that it will lead to great progress in this state and Malaysia,” he explained.
Also present during the press conference were Sarawak Business Federation (SBF) president Datuk Abang Abdul Karim Tun Abang Openg and Recoda chief executive officer Datuk Ismawi Ismuni.
