Sarawak’s rapid growth, lofty plans should not be seen as desire for independence: Premier Abang Johari
Led by Premier Abang Johari Openg, Sarawak is making moves to cement its status as one of Malaysia’s most important states and has likened itself to the economic powerhouse region of Bavaria in Germany. KUCHING: In a lounge on the highest floor of the Wisma Bapa administrative building near downtown Kuching in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, the walls are black and marble with ornate gold trims. The floor is fully carpeted, the ceiling boasts chandeliers, and sofas line every corner of the spacious room. The lounge is part of the office of Sarawak’s Premier Abang Johari Openg, a key figure in the autonomous state. Stacked on coffee tables are news magazines outlining Mr Abang Johari’s achievements and grand ambitions for Sarawak, which has massive oil and gas reserves and is well on track to have its own port, airline and financial institution. And these grand plans have given the Premier the confidence to tout his state’s prowess and positioning in Malaysia as similar to the Bavaria region in Germany – known as an economic powerhouse there. In recent years, Sarawak has retaken Bintulu Port from the federal government, bought over regional airline MASwings from the national flag carrier Malaysia Airlines, and is in the final stages of acquiring a controlling stake in Affin Bank. These moves are necessary for Sarawak to “go forward”, while the state’s riches mean it can afford to give back to its people, Mr Abang Johari said in a wide-ranging interview with CNA in August. In December 2023, he unveiled a plan to provide free tertiary education for Sarawakians in state-owned universities from 2026. The idea of free tertiary education for Sarawak natives was first mooted by Mr Abang Johari as part of his birthday wish in August 2022. “For any country to develop, you need quality human resources, and that is where I think with good education behind them, you can get people out of poverty,” he told CNA at Wisma Bapa. “It is more so when you have the economic ecosystem that allows them to make use of what they know to develop further.”
