Abang Johari receives Great ASEAN Distinguished Leadership Excellence Award

KUALA LUMPUR: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg was honoured today with the prestigious Great ASEAN Distinguished Leadership Excellence Award by the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific and the ASEAN Economic Club.

KSI Strategic Institute chairman Tan Sri Majid Khan and president Tan Sri Michael Yeoh presented the award to Abang Johari at the Great ASEAN Entrepreneur Awards 2024 dinner tonight.

Its deputy chairman, Datuk Seri Mohamed Iqbal Rawther when annoucing the award, stated that Abang Johari is a dedicated and persistent leader who has elevated Sarawak to the forefront of Malaysian states through a series of remarkable initiatives.

These initiatives include positioning Sarawak on the global energy transformation map by promoting sustainability and green technology, such as green hydrogen, as well as encouraging universities and higher education institutions to establish themselves in the state to expand the talent pool of Sarawakians for future opportunities.

Meanwhile, in his acceptance speech, Abang Johari stated that he is deeply honoured to receive the award and hopes that Sarawak and Malaysia can work together to achieve more milestones in the future.

“Any cooperation that this award represents, not only for me, is potentially for the entire ASEAN region. Sarawak is endowed with vast natural resources that gives us a strong foundation to become the regional hub for trade, investment, and connectivity in this dynamic part of Southeast Asia.

“That is why we would like to transform our economy, among other things, based on renewable energy because Sarawak has long been known for its abundant renewable energy resources, and we have committed to developing 10 gigawatts, or 10,000 megawatts, of clean energy, including hydropower and gas turbines,“ he also said.

Aside from Abang Johari, the awards ceremony also recognised 18 exceptional entrepreneurs from various categories for their significant achievements and contributions, including Cambodia’s Acuman Group and Acumen Capital founder and chairman Sarath Ying and Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) chairman Tan Sri Dr Abdul Aziz Husain.

The Great ASEAN Distinguished Leadership Excellence Award was presented to outstanding ASEAN entrepreneurs who have contributed to regional growth and economic prosperity.

Kuala Lumpur’s selection as the host city was especially significant, as Malaysia will chair and host the ASEAN Summits in the coming year, adding an extra layer of significance to this historic event.