KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has called on Teochew youths to balance cultural pride with innovation, describing them as the bridge between heritage and progress.
Culture, he said, must not remain in the past but must live, breathe and evolve with time.
“While holding fast to your cultural roots, you must also equip yourselves with knowledge, technology and innovation to help shape Sarawak’s future.
“By bringing creativity into your traditions, whether through language, art, cuisine or music, you ensure that the Teochew identity continues to thrive in the modern world,” he said.
The Premier said this in a speech read by his deputy Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian during the recent Kuching Teochew Association Youth Section’s 50th anniversary banquet here.
Abang Johari noted that the Teochew community has long played a meaningful role in shaping Sarawak’s progress, contributing to its growth in business, education, culture and public service.
He said the community’s shared values of diligence, integrity and unity have become part of Sarawak’s social fabric and continue to guide the state’s journey towards becoming a high-income and sustainable economy by 2030.
“The Teochew community has been part of Sarawak’s story for more than 160 years. From the early settlers who toiled this land to the present generation, your community has contributed immensely to Sarawak’s development in various fields.
“Your values, diligence, integrity, respect for learning and love for community have become part of the very fabric of our Sarawak society,” he said.
Additionally, Abang Johari said Sarawak’s progress was not only about infrastructure but also about empowering its people through education and knowledge.
He added that the state government was investing heavily in human capital, including providing free tertiary education at state-owned institutions by 2026.
“Every young Sarawakian, regardless of background, deserves the opportunity to learn, to excel and to contribute to our future.
“We are also building a modern, green and knowledge-based economy from hydrogen energy and renewable power to digital transformation and smart governance, positioning Sarawak as the green energy powerhouse of ASEAN.
“Through these efforts, we aim not only to achieve prosperity but to ensure that growth is sustainable, moderate and inclusive, benefiting all communities across our state,” he said.
