BY JACINTHA JOLENE & ALEXANDRA LORNA
KUCHING: Leaders from across Sarawak, including deputy ministers, elected representatives and community figures, have extended their heartfelt birthday wishes to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg as he celebrates his 76th birthday today (Aug 4).
They described Abang Johari’s leadership as visionary, inclusive and forward-looking, crediting his stewardship for steering Sarawak towards greater economic resilience, digital transformation, renewable energy development and sustainable growth.
The leaders also highlighted his humility, willingness to listen and commitment to uniting Sarawakians of diverse backgrounds as key qualities that have shaped his leadership over the years, while expressing hopes for his continued good health, strength and wisdom in guiding the state towards achieving its development aspirations.
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Datuk Martin Ben, Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development
On behalf of N22 Kedup, I extend my warmest birthday wishes to the Premier, as he celebrates another year of life and service to our beloved state Sarawak.
Under his stewardship, Sarawak has moved with confidence towards the ambitions set out in the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 — from building a competitive digital economy to charting a bold path in renewable and hydrogen energy that few states in the region have dared to pursue.
What stands out most to those of us serving under his leadership is not just this vision, but the steadiness with which he pursues it : a leader who listens more than he speaks, who governs with patience rather than haste, and who has kept Sarawak’s many communities moving forward together rather than apart.
That, to us, is his greatest strength as a leader: the ability to hold a state as diverse as Sarawak steady, and to do so with humility despite decades at the highest levels of public service. It is a rare quality, and one that has earned him the trust not only of his cabinet, but of the rakyat he serves.
As we mark his birthday, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) members at N22 Kedup and I wish him continued good health, strength and clarity of purpose in the years ahead. May he be granted the energy to see through the initiatives closest to his heart — a prosperous and united Sarawak — and may the coming years bring him joy in the company of his family, as much as it brings progress to the state he has given his life to building.
Happy Birthday, Premier. Sarawak is fortunate to have you at the helm.
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Datuk Dr Penguang Mail, Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government I
May Premier be showered with good health, longevity and many more years at the helm as the Captain of our beloved Sarawak.
His far sighted and visionary leadership, commitment and dedication to serve all Sarawakians of all races, religions and backgrounds and his ability to see the current and future world affairs is something that we Sarawakians must be proud of and which makes Sarawak stand tall in this region.
We wish Premier a very happy birthday and many more happy returns.
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Datuk Michael Tiang, Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government II
On this special occasion, I would like to extend my heartfelt birthday wishes to our beloved Premier. May God bless him with good health, wisdom, strength, and many more years of dedicated service to Sarawak and its people.
To me, one of the Premier’s greatest strengths is his political courage and unwavering conviction. His bold decision to lead the formation of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) marked a defining moment in our state’s history.
It enabled Sarawak to stand politically independent with integrity, united in purpose, and better positioned to pursue the aspirations of our people under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).I have always admired his visionary leadership.
Under his stewardship, Sarawak has embarked on an ambitious transformation towards a high-income, innovation-driven economy, with a strong emphasis on green and sustainable energy, hydrogen development, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and the knowledge economy.
At the same time, he has strengthened Sarawak’s strategic position through initiatives such as the acquisition of Bintulu Port, the participation in AFFIN Bank, the establishment of AirBorneo, the growth of the Development Bank of Sarawak (DBOS), and many other bold initiatives that are laying the foundation for Sarawak’s long-term prosperity.
Equally important is his commitment to ensuring that development benefits every Sarawakian, regardless of race, religion, or background.
Under his leadership, Sarawak continues to enjoy harmony among our diverse communities while advancing inclusive policies such as free tertiary education for Sarawakian students, the continued support for all faiths through UNIFOR, and the consistent annual allocations for Chinese independent schools and Chinese education. These initiatives reflect a government that truly believes no one should be left behind.
My wish for our Premier is that he continues to be blessed with good health, wisdom, and strength to lead Sarawak to even greater heights. I am confident that under his leadership, Sarawak will continue to grow stronger, more prosperous, and more united, while safeguarding our rights, protecting our autonomy, and securing a brighter future for generations to come.
Happy Birthday, Premier. Thank you for your visionary leadership and your unwavering dedication to the people of Sarawak.
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Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts
I wish our Premier a happy and blessed 76th birthday.
I fervently pray that our Premier has continuous good health and that he continues to lead us for many more years to come.
We are proud of his charismatic leadership. He has led us with outstanding achievements.
He is still capable, dynamic yet strategic in his approach in managing the affairs of our state. In a nutshell, the state achievements under his helm can be summarized by the 4 “Es” – Economy, Energy, Education & Environment.
Sarawak’s economy grows by billions as reflected in our yearly budget. His revenue re-engineering bears fruits. He had placed Sarawak in the global map.
His vast knowledge in promoting and discovering renewables *energy* such as hydro power hydrogen, carbon trading and algae has gained international applause and recognition.
Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia which grant Free Tertiary Education Scheme ( FTES) to its students who pursue their studies in Sarawak owned universities in many different fields or faculties.
Similarly his serious approaches in tackling climate change and environment sustainability in compliance with worldwide Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) standard have been tremendous. Under his leadership Sarawak is notably recognised as a power proponent of hydrogen as green energy along with carbon trading.
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Datuk Idris Buang, Muara Tuang assemblyman
Happy birthday our dearest Premier.
May your years ahead be filled with happiness, the best of health, many more great achievements and success.
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Billy Sujang, Opar assemblyman
Have a blessed birthday to our beloved Premier.
Your visionary leadership, unwavering commitment to Sarawak’s progress, and genuine care for the people continue to inspire all of us.
The quality I admire most is your ability to lead with wisdom, humility, and a clear vision for the future.
May God bless you with good health, strength, and continued wisdom as you lead Sarawak to greater prosperity and success.
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Anyi Jana, Ngemah assemblyman
On the occasion of the 76th birthday of our beloved Premier of Sarawak, I would like to extend my warmest and heartfelt birthday wishes.
May God continue to bless him with good health, wisdom, strength, and abundant blessings as he leads Sarawak towards greater progress and prosperity.
To me, his greatest strength as a leader is his visionary leadership. He has the foresight and courage to transform Sarawak through innovation, digitalisation, and sustainable economic development while always putting the interests and well-being of the people first.
The leadership quality I admire most is his humility and his willingness to listen. Despite his stature, he remains approachable, values the views of the people, and makes decisions with the long-term future of Sarawak in mind.
As he celebrates another year of life, I pray that he will continue to be blessed with excellent health, unwavering determination, and God’s guidance in leading Sarawak to even greater heights. Happy Birthday, Premier.
May Sarawak continue to prosper under your leadership.
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Temenggong Atok Derop
As Temenggong for the Bidayuh community of Kuching Division and on behalf of the Bidayuh community, I wish to extend my warmest birthday greetings to our Premier on this 4th of August.
May this special day be filled with joy, blessings, and renewed strength. We recognise his greatest strength in steering Sarawak with a clear vision — harmonising economic progress with the preservation of our diverse cultural heritage.
We deeply admire his inclusiveness, ensuring that every community, large or small, feels valued and represented in the journey of Sarawak’s development.
As Temenggong, I wish him continued wisdom, resilience, and success in advancing Sarawak’s prosperity, while fostering unity and harmony among all its peoples.
May the year ahead bring enduring peace and abundant blessings.
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Datuk Lo Khere Chiang, Batu Kitang assemblyman
Happy Birthday to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
On this special occasion, I extend my warmest birthday wishes to our Premier. May he be blessed with good health, wisdom, and continued strength to lead Sarawak towards greater progress and prosperity.
What I admire most about him is his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to transforming Sarawak through innovation, economic development, and digital advancement, while always safeguarding the interests and rights of the people of Sarawak.
I wish him every success in the year ahead and pray that he will continue to lead our beloved Sarawak to even greater achievements for the benefit of all Sarawakians.
