KUCHING: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is exploring opportunities with Sarawak to support the development of Tanjung Embang through green financing, reflecting growing international confidence in the state’s energy transition and long-term economic strategy.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said ADB’s senior management from Manila met with him on Tuesday (Jul 7) in Kuala Lumpur to discuss potential financial support, particularly for green development initiatives at Tanjung Embang.
“They came to explore opportunities where they could assist us from the perspective of financial support, particularly green financing for us to develop Tanjung Embang,” he said.
He said this when met by reporters at the Sarawak Energy Vendor Excellence Awards (SEVEA) 2026 at Hikmah Exchange Event Centre here on Wednesday (Jul 8).
Abang Johari said the interest from ADB was in line with growing confidence from other international financial institutions, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Japanese banks, in Sarawak’s future economic direction.
He said Tanjung Embang would be developed around two strategic assets — its seaport and airport — to strengthen regional connectivity and position Sarawak as a key gateway within ASEAN.
Abang Johari also said Sarawak’s free tertiary education policy was also attracting international interest, as it is designed to produce the skilled workforce needed by the state.
“The fields of study that we have chosen are those that will drive future economic development. And, this includes semiconductor.” he said.
Abang Johari said Sarawak’s long-term connectivity plans, including the expansion of AirBorneo’s international network, have further strengthened investor confidence in the state’s economic vision.
He said the airline’s second phase of expansion would introduce direct connections to countries such as Japan and South Korea, improving links with companies investing in Sarawak.
The Premier also said discussions with ADB touched on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, noting a shared view that advances in AI could transform the role of data centres over the next five years.
He said future technological developments are expected to shift towards more decentralised computing powered by increasingly powerful graphics processing units (GPUs), allowing computing and data processing to take place closer to where they are needed.
“As AI technology evolves, data centres may no longer be confined to fixed locations but instead move to regions with sufficient energy supply. That is the direction we see technology heading over the next five years,” he said.
Responding to a question on ADB’s involvement, he said the bank would undertake more detailed planning and engage with the Sarawak Future Fund (SFS) and industry players.
“They will provide more detailed planning and they will engage with SFS, as well as the players.
“Because Tanjung Embang is not developed by the government alone. The government only provides the infrastructure. The rest will be undertaken by the private sector
“And Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) will establish two 500-megawatt gas turbines providing a dedicated one-gigawatt power supply to support future industries in the area,” he said.
