BY NATASHA JEE & NURIN PATRA
KUCHING: The Sarawak government remains dedicated to ensure that its economic success is trickled down to the society.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said infrastructure development remains a key focus in the state’s growth strategy, covering water and power supply, road networks, and digital connectivity.
“In addition, with the availability of resources in Sarawak, it must trickle down to society itself, particularly rural areas,” he said when delivering his speech at the Contemporary Leadership International Summit 2025 (CLIS2025) held at Riverside Majestic Hotel today.
Abang Johari, who is also the Finance and New Economy Minister, stressed that economic success must be measured not just by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth but also translates to the people.
“There is a view by Prof Joseph Stiglitz that the success of a country is not only measured by the figures in the GDP. But rather the quality of life in that country.
“Sometime, you have good GDP growth figures of 5 to 8 per cent, but they do not reach down to society. The quality of life in that country or entity may not reflect the economic growth,” he said.
He added economic progress must include social dimensions, ensuring that the well-being of citizens is enhanced rather than being degraded.
“Hence, I tend to agree with Prof Joseph. And that is why Sarawak’s Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 stresses the importance of social inclusivity,” he said.
Sarawak, he added, has an advantage in energy resources and must be utilised with the right policies and technology to ensure that its benefits reach the people.
He also highlighted the state’s abundant energy resources and where it is moving towards hydrogen economy.
“People envy us for taking the risk of transforming our economy by using hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels. I said yes, Sarawak is indeed fortunate to have an abundance of water, which contains both oxygen and hydrogen.
“At present, splitting hydrogen is costly because electrolysers are still expensive. But one day, the cost of this conversion will decrease, just like how computer technology has evolved. When that happens, Sarawak will have vast hydrogen resources from our water sources, including Batang Ai, Murum, Baleh, and others,” he said.
He added that Sarawak not only has water for hydrogen production but also gas resources such as methane (CH₄), which also contains hydrogen.
“There is new technology that combines hydrogen with carbon to produce synthetic gas and synthetic methane, alongside advancements in Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technology,” said Abang Johari.
