On Maal Hijrah, Premier says good governance is key in navigating challenges

KUCHING: Good governance has been highlighted as a key aspect of the Sarawak government says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

This, he said is crucial at a time when the world is facing two major challenges that is climate change and food security.

“We know from history that when Prophet Muhammad governed Madinah, there were many tribes, ethnic groups, and believers.

“He was able to establish a fair and just administration for both the Muslim community and non-Muslims. This is a significant lesson for us.

“When entrusted with governance, we must have good governance, which is a continuous administration based on integrity and a clear direction for informing humanity.

“We must have a direction where we cannot just manage our state or country without considering the challenges faced by humanity today,” he said.

He said this in his speech during the Sarawak State Level Majlis Perhimpunan Maal Hijrah held at Hikmah Exchange Event Centre here today (July 7).

Furthermore, Abang Johari highlighted that his government emphasises environmental conservation and wellness, as well as moving towards betterment for the people and the environment in view of the current challenges faced by humanity.

He noted that with the state’s rich natural resources, his government ensures that these resources are well managed.

“We want to ensure good air quality, good oxygen, and a good environment around us. In this regard, Islam has placed awareness on us to take care of ourselves and our environment. Today’s challenge is the obsession with materialism, which affects the atmosphere when we want to make changes.

“That is why my leadership emphasises environmental conservation and wellness issues. People say Sarawak is busy with hydrogen because this is our way of obtaining clean energy. Sarawak has plenty of water. We break down water, extract hydrogen, and it becomes a renewable energy source.

“If we have the desire and we change, migrate to a new path, we can overcome today’s world problems,” he added.

He also added that Sarawak’s efforts in clean energy have garnered attention from other countries, such as Poland, Australia, Thailand, and Hong Kong.

He said in the coming month, he has been invited to Sydney, Australia, and Hong Kong to share on Sarawak’s green initiatives.