Sarawak to focus on improving rural household income based on agriculture sector, says Premier

SIBU (July 12): Sarawak will focus on improving the household income in the rural areas based on the agriculture sector, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said this is to reflect the World Bank’s recognition that Sarawak is a high-income region in Malaysia for two years consecutively.

“Our government today is to translate this high-income to household income. We do not want just Sarawak to be high-income state. The people have to achieve that. So the government is going to focus on (improving their) household income.

“One of the ways is to improve the economic sector in the rural area that is based on agriculture sector,” he said.

He was speaking when officiating at the Sarawak Agrofest at old Bintulu airport today.

With that in mind, Abang Johari said the Sarawak Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development is working hard and will continue to engage with experts to provide an ecosystem to accelerate the state’s development of agriculture.

He also elaborated on the three elements involved in Sarawak’s economic development, which include technology, infrastructure and market.

“The Sarawak government has decided to provide free tertiary education in 2026 at the state-owned university to create manpower that is technology savvy. Then we will upgrade the infrastructure, such as electricity, water supply and roads in the rural areas,” he said.

According to him, the Sarawak government has rolled out RM20 billion for the past five years to improve road connectivity statewide to ensure agricultural development across the state.

“The RM20 billion is excluding Pan Borneo Highway, whereby it is a federal government project, but there are settlements and population in the rural coastal area.

“So, the Sarawak government has to build coastal roads. It is very expensive because of the river, and one of the bridges is the bridge next door (Bintulu-Jepak Bridge) costing almost RM400 million,” he said.

He said by giving accessibility from Bintulu town to Jepak, Tatau and beyond, this would enable more land to be opened up for food production and agricultural activities apart from oil palm.

“I believe that our farmers will become a modern agropreneur that is using the latest technology,” he said.

Also present at the event was Minister for Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development Sarawak Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.