KUCHING: The symbolic traits of wisdom, intuition and transformation associated with the Chinese Year of the Snake should be embraced by the Sarawakians to drive the state forward in its development agenda, Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said.
In his Chinese New Year message, he said that these qualities are crucial for navigating the opportunities and challenges which lie ahead as the state progresses, and Sarawakians must continue to reflect on the past, while advancing with awareness and compassion.
“It is a dynamic year for learning from the past. We all need to have these inherent traits to make the most of our journey through the new year which will present both opportunities and challenges,” he said.
According to the Premier, Sarawak’s ongoing strategic initiatives are clear evidence of this transformation as the state had already started the new year of 2025 on a strong note with the first shipment of methanol produced in Bintulu to China on Jan 14.
“This has been possible after Sarawak Petchem, a petro-chemical company wholly-owned by a Sarawak entity, successfully established the methanol plant in Tanjung Kidurong, Bintulu that symbolises our determination to develop the downstream of our natural gas resources,” he said.
Abang Johari said the methanol production and shipment marked the first step in Sarawak’s journey toward utilising more gas as feedstock to produce various products, as well as generating power to drive the state’s economic growth.
“Every LNG (liquefied natural gas) cargo ship that leaves Bintulu to other countries without any further process domestically represents some lost opportunities for Sarawak to benefit from the development of value chain of its gas downstream sector,” he said.
He also expressed his appreciation to the federal government for granting Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) the authority to serve as the state’s single gas aggregator, a crucial step for advancing the domestic gas industry and creating higher-paying jobs and generating the local economy.
“With this approach, I am confident that our gas resources can be a major downstream industry to transform our economy in the next five years and beyond, with the ultimate aim of increasing Sarawak’s household income in order to be on par, if not surpassing the national average,” he said.
He said the Sarawak’s Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), which is built on the pillars of economic prosperity, social inclusivity and environmental sustainability had also garnered attention both domestically and internationally as a model for economic transformation.
“With wisdom and structured planning, I am confident that Sarawak will become a high-income and developed region by 2030. Let us draw inspiration from the Year of the Snake and move forward with resilience and determination,” he added.
