KUCHING, June 19 — Sarawak aspires to export 100,000 tonnes of hydrogen to South Korea earliest by 2025, said Premier of Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg.
He said the state’s revenue would increase as the export of hydrogen to South Korea happens by 2025 or later.
“When this happens, more job opportunities will also be created as we will need engineers and technical assistants.
“We have approved to set up two plants — each of which costs US$6 billion (RM26 billion). The plants in Bintulu will be completed in five years’ time and 1,000 jobs will be created along with it,” said the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) president when closing the PBB Convention at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching here today.
In a press conference later, Abang Johari said there had been requests from the ground to set up more regional agencies to coordinate development in rural areas across Sarawak.
According to him, the existing regional agencies such as the Upper Rajang Development Authority (URDA) have been successful in coordinating development at the grassroots level.
Earlier, he announced the setting up of another regional agency called Rajang Delta to be headed by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development Datu Len Talif Salleh.
On the PBB Convention, Abang Johari said the party had resolved to accept youths aged 18 to 28 as part of the Youth Wing, which will provide a platform for them to equip themselves with the political know-how so they can handle political issues in a rational manner.
He believed these youths could be trained, and the experience gained with PBB will serve as a foundation for them to join politics.
“Once they are 28, they can either join the Youth or Women wings. It’s not easy for you to lead unless you have experience,” he said, adding this would be a systematic way of training for youths in the state.
In his closing remarks, Abang Johari stressed the importance of the English language in Sarawak, be it in education or tourism.
He said he had come across an individual who used the word ‘push’ to mean subtract or minus.
“If you say four push two equals two, Westerners won’t get it, but locals will because ‘tolak’ (push).
“There was also once a local tourist guide, who did not get the meaning of restroom, and told the tourist to take a rest at the sofa.” On better opportunities for women, Abang Johari said he does not discriminate and he is all for inclusivity.
He informed he had been giving opportunities to women in the state, by pointing out the general manager of Miri Port and Kuching Water Board are female.
With Sarawak, and the world, focusing on the development of digital economy, he said digital does not recognise gender but rather, talent.
“New economy, which is digital economy, isn’t based on gender. The future of our economy is no longer based on gender. New economy needs talents and there is no discrimination,” he stressed.
Among those present were PBB deputy presidents Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, and PBB vice president Datuk Julaihi Narawi. — Borneo Post
