KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak has recorded cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) exceeding RM116 billion over the past five years, with all pledged investments fully realised, signalling strong investor confidence despite global economic uncertainty.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the state recorded more than RM16 billion in FDI in the primary services and manufacturing sectors in the preceding year alone
“The situation is very fragile — not only us, but worldwide. The whole world is affected by the whole supply chain,” he said while affirming that Sarawak would continue to aggressively promote investment across its key sectors.
He said this to reporters on the sidelines of the SMD Hari Raya open house at La Promenade Mall yesterday (Mar 30).
He identified renewable energy as the state’s foremost strategic asset, emphasising that Sarawak’s clean energy portfolio extends beyond hydroelectric power to include emerging sources currently under development.
He said this gives the state a distinct advantage at a time when energy security has become a pressing concern for economies globally.
“That is our strength. We will take leverage from that,” Awang Tengah said, adding that the state’s strategic geographic location and well preserved natural ecosystem further strengthened its investment proposition.
Awang Tengah outlined oil and gas — encompassing supply chains, transportation cost management and energy infrastructure — as well as high tech industries as the state’s other principal investment priorities.
On target markets, the Deputy Premier indicated that Sarawak’s promotional efforts would be focused on Asian economies, with South Korea cited specifically as a key partner nation.
He disclosed that investors from China and the Middle East have expressed significant interest in Sarawak’s renewable energy sector, particularly solar energy.
He confirmed that Chinese investors had visited the state as recently as the preceding month and had made formal commitments to invest, while noting that Middle Eastern investors had similarly pledged their participation.
However, Awang Tengah cautioned that the pace of investment realisation from both regions would remain subject to evolving geopolitical conditions.
“They are directly affected by the geopolitical situation,” he said.
The state government will sustain its investment promotion activities across priority sectors, with renewable energy positioned at the centre of Sarawak’s long term economic development strategy.
