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Awang Tengah and the Sarawak delegation in a photo with officials from Budapest City Hall during an official visit on June 15, 2026. Advertisement
By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 16: Sarawak is seeking to strengthen cooperation with Hungary, particularly the City of Budapest, in key areas including urban development, industrial growth, clean energy and regional planning, as part of its long-term development strategy.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan led a delegation on an official visit to Budapest City Hall on Monday (June 15), where both sides held discussions on knowledge exchange and explored potential avenues for collaboration between Sarawak and the Hungarian capital.
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In his opening remarks, Awang Tengah expressed appreciation to the city administration for hosting the delegation and facilitating the engagement.
He highlighted Sarawak’s strategic advantages as Malaysia’s largest state, covering about 12.4 million hectares and endowed with rich natural resources, a strategic geographical position and a diverse workforce.
“These strengths, combined with the State’s strong commitment to sustainability, innovation and economic transformation, have further enhanced Sarawak’s appeal as an investment and business destination,” he said in a statement today.
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment, pointed out that the World Bank has classified Sarawak as a high-income economy, with the State now focused on elevating household incomes and improving quality of life through the Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
“Our focus now is to further enhance household incomes and improve the quality of life of our people in line with our PCDS 2030, which seeks to advance economic prosperity, social inclusivity and environmental sustainability through innovation, digitalisation and data-driven development,” he said.
To achieve these goals, Awang Tengah said Sarawak is making significant investments in infrastructure, digital connectivity and human capital development, while accelerating its transition toward renewable energy, including hydropower, hydrogen and solar energy.
He added that the State is also positioning itself as a regional hub for advanced manufacturing, particularly in semiconductors and aerospace, while strengthening its role as a clean energy powerhouse in the region.
During the discussions, Awang Tengah acknowledged Hungary’s strengths in automotive and electric vehicle manufacturing, electronics, pharmaceuticals and high-technology exports, noting that these sectors closely align with Sarawak’s own development priorities.
He also said Hungary’s experience in regional development and cross-border economic integration offers valuable insights as Sarawak continues to develop its Northern Region and enhance economic connectivity with neighbouring areas.
On urban development, Awang Tengah said Budapest’s reputation for integrating urban planning, mobility systems and public spaces is particularly relevant to Sarawak, which is currently implementing the hydrogen-powered Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system as part of its sustainable mobility agenda.
“We are particularly interested in learning how Budapest has applied compact city principles, integrated land-use and transport planning, and promoted transit-oriented development to support sustainable urban growth and climate resilience,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the engagement would pave the way for deeper knowledge exchange and closer cooperation between Sarawak and Budapest in the years ahead. — DayakDaily
English (US) ·