KUCHING: Sarawak’s move for free tertiary education is key to talent building and long-term nation-building as the state accelerates its transformation toward 2030, says Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said the state government views education as the foundation of a new social structure built on inclusivity, competency and long-term sustainability.
“Free education is about talent building. And as a nation building, you need talent. After that, we work on how to retain the talent,” he said, emphasising that education autonomy would allow Sarawak to respond more effectively to local needs.
He said this when met by reporters after attending the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID) REKA Sarawak Conference 2025 at a hotel here today.
He said Sarawak’s ongoing efforts, including health and education autonomy, are part of a larger reinvention of the state’s social system, aimed at lifting communities regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic background.
“Education is basically blind to race, religion, or whether you’re poor or rich. Education allows you to get out of poverty,” he added.
Dr Sim said Sarawak’s rapid development is being closely watched by the rest of Malaysia, attributing the state’s progress to forward-looking policies under the Premier’s 2030 vision, which focuses on prosperity, inclusivity and sustainability.
He added that Sarawak must build its talent pool quickly to stabilise its economy and infrastructure by 2030.
“We have to grow out fast, so that by 2030, we should be growing out, and then we’ll be more stable, and then more talents will be in place, more infrastructure in place, and then we can be quite a developed state of Sarawak,” he said.
On the federal delegation of powers, Dr Sim reiterated that health autonomy is crucial for addressing manpower shortages more efficiently.
He highlighted the issue of medical officers accepting postings but later refusing to serve in Sarawak.
“If you give that power to us, we can employ doctors directly. If you don’t want to come to Sarawak, why apply to Sarawak? It doesn’t make sense,” he said.
Dr Sim also thanked the MIID for hosting its first REKA conference in Sarawak, noting that interior design plays an important role in wellness, hospitality and overall quality of life.
Despite the modest turnout, he said Sarawak’s creative and design sectors are scaling up rapidly, supported by the state’s broader development agenda.
