STATE OWNERSHIP POLICY STRENGTHENS SARAWAK'S AUTONOMY AND ECONOMY – ABANG JOHARI

KUCHING, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak government is now on a solid footing to strengthen its economic autonomy and sovereignty through the implementation of the 'Sarawak State Ownership Policy', the first policy of its kind in Malaysia, said Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said the new policy would enable the state government to optimise the management and value of Sarawak's assets in a professional, integrity-based and sustainable manner, in line with the aspiration to make the state an active partner in the country's federal structure.

"With clear principles and frameworks, this policy will ensure that Sarawak is able to manage its own resources to develop a diversified and sustainable economic base," he said when speaking at the 79th Birthday Celebration of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sarawak, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at Padang Merdeka here, today.

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Also present were Wan Junaidi's wife, Toh Puan Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, and the premier's daughter, Dayang Norjihan.

Abang Johari said the policy was a continuation of Sarawak's struggle to demand state rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), to ensure the well-being of the people is maintained.

"As a result of this struggle, Sarawak now has regulatory authority over liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), an important resource in the energy sector. Through the Sarawak Government-owned company, Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS), we now have the ability to manage our own resources," he said.

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Abang Johari said the increasing autonomy provided the state government with the opportunity to formulate its own policies in important areas such as education, health and energy, so that their implementation would be more in line with local needs and realities.

The Premier also expressed confidence that through a clear autonomy framework and state ownership policy, Sarawak would continue to emerge as a sovereign and competitive territory, as well as an example of effective governance in the country's federal system.

The ceremony was also celebrated with a parade and a huge rally involving 110 contingents from government departments, security agencies, educational institutions and community associations.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Sarawak Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan and Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian, a line-up of state cabinet ministers and other dignitaries.

-- BERNAMA