THERE was a time when conversations about Sarawak’s economy were almost entirely centred on oil, gas, timber and palm oil.
These sectors formed the backbone of the state’s development for decades, generating revenue, creating employment and shaping the public narrative about Sarawak’s strengths and limitations.
Today, however, the conversation sounds markedly different.
Artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, renewable energy, aerospace technology and data centres are increasingly becoming part of Sarawak’s long-term economic narrative – something that would probably have sounded unrealistic to many people a decade ago.
The shift is not merely rhetorical. It reflects a broader transformation in how the state sees its future in an increasingly digital and technology-driven world.
When Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg recently travelled to the United Kingdom and Ireland, the visit was not simply another overseas working trip filled with courtesy calls and photo opportunities.
Behind the engagements with technology players, universities and advanced computing facilities was a much bigger message – Sarawak is preparing itself for a future economy driven by data, innovation and renewable energy.
Personally, I think it is quite remarkable to witness how much Sarawak’s economic direction has changed under the Premier’s leadership.
I still remember when the push for digitalisation and digital economy first began years ago.
At the time, there were many people who questioned it.
Some probably thought the idea of digital economy was too ambitious for Sarawak.
Some thought the idea of a digital economy was too ambitious for a state long associated with primary industries.
Others dismissed it as another fashionable term governments liked to use whenever they wanted to appear modern and progressive. Digitalisation, to some critics, sounded abstract and disconnected from everyday realities.
However, fast forward to today and it is difficult to deny that Sarawak’s economic trajectory has changed significantly.
Sarawak achieved high-income status ahead of its 2030 target, while state revenue grew substantially over the years, reaching a record RM14.2 billion in 2024.
These figures did not materialise by accident. They were the result of policy decisions, structural reforms and efforts to strengthen fiscal management.
Of course, many factors contributed to that growth. Stronger control over state resources, improved revenue collection mechanisms and efforts to diversify the economy all played important roles. Global commodity prices also influenced outcomes.
However, I do think the emphasis on digitalisation, innovation and long-term economic planning played an important role in reshaping Sarawak’s direction.
What stands out to me is that Sarawak is not merely trying to chase technology trends for the sake of appearances.
There seems to be a deliberate attempt to prepare for where the world is heading.
And right now, the world is moving rapidly towards AI and data-driven economies.
Every Google search, every TikTok scroll, every online banking transaction and every cloud storage upload contribute to the global data ecosystem.
Data has quietly become one of the world’s most valuable commodities.
That is why the Premier’s recent visit to facilities such as the K2 Strategic Data Centre Campus in Dublin and the Isambard-AI supercomputer facility in Bristol feels significant.
Sarawak is no longer merely observing technological developments from afar, it wants to understand how it can become part of that ecosystem.
During the visit, the Premier highlighted how data and AI are increasingly shaping Sarawak’s new economic and social direction, while collaborations with institutions such as the University of Bristol are expected to support the state’s ambitions in semiconductors, aerospace and advanced computing.
What makes this even more interesting is that Sarawak may already possess one major advantage for the future economy – renewable energy.
AI systems, data centres and advanced computing infrastructure consume enormous amounts of electricity.
As global technology companies expand, they are increasingly looking for sustainable energy sources to power their operations while reducing carbon emissions.
In many ways, Sarawak may be positioning itself ahead of the curve.
Under its long-term development plans, Sarawak has aggressively pushed renewable energy initiatives involving hydropower, hydrogen, biomass and solar energy.
The state’s energy capacity is projected to reach 10 gigawatts by 2030, with electricity exports already extending to West Kalimantan while plans for further regional energy connectivity continue to expand.
This is also where one begins to better understand the Premier’s ambition of positioning Sarawak as the “battery of ASEAN” and perhaps even the “star of ASEAN”.
At first glance, those phrases may sound overly ambitious.
But when one looks at the bigger picture – Sarawak’s renewable energy capabilities, growing digital economy plans, semiconductor ambitions and push towards AI infrastructure – the vision begins to make more sense.
The world’s future economy will require enormous amounts of energy and computing power.
If Sarawak is able to combine its renewable energy strengths with technology-driven industries, the state could potentially carve out a much larger role for itself within the regional economy.
And perhaps this is what makes Sarawak’s current direction particularly interesting.
The plans for digital economy, AI and semiconductor development are not standing alone.
They are being tied together with renewable energy, talent development, education and long-term economic sustainability.
Personally, I think it is a good thing that Sarawak is choosing to think ahead instead of remaining overly dependent on traditional industries forever.
It would have been much easier and safer to continue relying solely on conventional economic sectors that have sustained the state for decades.
But economies evolve.
The future may no longer only belong to places rich in natural resources beneath the ground.
It may belong to regions capable of combining renewable energy, technology, innovation and digital infrastructure into something sustainable and competitive.
Of course, ambitions alone are never enough.
Building a genuine data-driven economy requires talent, strong education systems and opportunities for younger Sarawakians to participate in these emerging industries.
There are also understandable anxieties surrounding AI and automation.
People worry about jobs becoming obsolete, parents wonder what careers their children should prepare for and industries are changing faster than many people can comfortably adapt to.
These concerns are valid as technology has always brought both opportunities and disruptions.
But perhaps what matters most is whether governments are willing to prepare early instead of waiting until the rest of the world has already moved ahead.
A decade ago, conversations about AI supercomputers, semiconductor ecosystems and data centres in Sarawak would have sounded almost unrealistic.
Today, they are becoming part of the state’s economic narrative and perhaps that alone says a lot about how far Sarawak has already come.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at sarahhafizahchandra@gmail.com.
