CM: Be thankful for special attention

Najib’s understanding of state’s needs seen as crucial to its competitiveness


KUCHING: Sarawakians should be thankful to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for the special focus given by his government to accelerate physical development in the state.

Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who said this yesterday, said the RM4 billion allocated by Najib to build more rural basic infrastructure in Sarawak was an indication of his awareness of the state’s needs.

He explained that facilities and amenities such as roads, treated water supply, electricity, telecommunication and Internet were crucial if Sarawak were to achieve the high income economy aspired by the prime minister himself.

“There are still many places which are yet to enjoy much needed facilities and amenities. The state has helped (to develop infrastructure) in more than 5,000 places. And of these 5,000 places, 60 per cent of them are settlements with less than 50 families.

“These places are scattered in areas which are three miles to 30 miles apart from each other. This is a great challenge for us (to bring development to all these places),” he said in his Hari Raya Aidilfitri message aired over local RTM radio stations last night.

Despite the challenges, Taib believes Sarawakians generally remain a patient and understanding lot because they realise it is a tough job and that not even ‘a big country like the United States of America can be developed within a short period of time in less than 200 years’.

With the allocation and commitment given by the federal government, he said Sarawakians could rejoice because the state was slowly but surely catching up with the much more developed states in Peninsular Malaysia.

“In Sarawak, we have a population of only 2.5 million although the state is as big as the peninsula if minus Melaka. Over there, the population is more than 20 million.

“That is why there is more development there in the peninsula. But with more allocation given to us, we can catch up with them,” he said.

Taib also said he believes Sarawak can achieve a much more accelerated development though the 11th Malaysian Plan (11MP) which will start in 2016.

With foreign investors agreeing to invest over RM30 billion to establish heavy industries in the state, he said Sarawakians can look forward to more employment opportunities that offer big salaries.

Now that Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) is already taking shape, he pointed out that the per capita income in the state can be raised from US$8,000 presently to US$24,000 by 2030.

“Let’s safeguard the current stability in Sarawak so that we can continue to attract investments for the state’s development.

“I also hope the people in the state will prepare for the massive changes going to take place by getting the right skills and qualifications,” he said.


by Samuel Aubrey
September 10, 2010, Friday