5/6/09 SARAWAK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODEL....

Sarawak, in one way or another is a blessed State within the Federation. Our ability, thus far, to sustain the true spirit of Federalism had positioned us in great advantages. Just as being practiced in the USA, Federalism is about the respect and up holding of both the State and National Rights within the 20 IGC agreed points when we decided collectively to form the Federation.

(2) The National Government must see that the growth of the State would implies the growth of the nation. There is no need for over controlled of the State economic affairs, and the State must have all the freedom to implement what are good for her own people along with the Federal Constitution. Sarawak had enjoyed this autonomous since her Independence, which enabled us to be top five richest State in the Federation from the previous (30 years ago) top five poorest State.

(3) Of late, the Chief Minister (CM) had announced SCORE as the catalyst of growth for the State over the next 20-30 years. This SCORE Concept is not difficult to understand and should be accepted as the State New Economic Development Model. SCORE which stand for Sarawak Corridor for Renewal Energy stretches from Miri in the north to Tg Manis in the south with Kapit as the interior bound. In fact, it is not a corridor, but a Golden Triangle of Growth!

(4) Hydro-power Plants are to be built in Kapit. Kapit with the chains of the Rajang River tributaries, have great potential as the source of hydro-power to energise not only the State but the country as whole. As the prerequisite of such, that is the reason why Kapit must be kept under Sustainable Forest Management. With the forest being kept intact, then the water sources would never be depleted. Thus forever, Kapit would take the task as Malaysian Power House. Accordingly, Kapit would also be sustained as the State Timber Sources. Nonetheless, Kapit population would continue to migrate out, and this should be able to be properly facilitated through good Human Resource Development (at basic and skilled level). The issue of the people of Kapit must be compensated for being denied all other massive land-based development should never arise since the educated and skilled Kapit population are able to earn greater income in other part of the State and Country.

(5) On the other hand, the land mass in Miri, Bintulu, Sibu and Mukah would be developed with vast scale of Plantation developments for various agriculture commodities. These developments would then trigger the need to have cluster of industrial development. Thus Tg. Manis and Bintulu could easily played such roles with the availability of the Deep Sea Port on both sides. The completion of the various trunk and feeder roads linking these two SCORE Centers would facilitate a greater commodities movement.

(6) Since with the completion of the Hydro-power plant in Bakun and those smaller ones to be built by the State, there would be surplus of energy for the State. It is with such calculation, that the State is pursuing for High Energy Industries be established both in Tg. Manis and Bintulu.

(7) Thus for the next five years, Sarawak State high development gearing on Energy(E),Infrastructures (I), Water Supplies (W), Plantation Development (P), Cluster Industries development (C), Human Resource (H), Infostructure (IT), and others FIRE (F) development would make the basic Model of the State Economic Development. In summary, the future State economic development equation would look like:

G = Ei + Wi + Ii + Pi + Ci + Hi + ITi + Fi, where i= 1, n

(8) The State emphasis on these developments is considered a far sighted strategies, and must be seen as taking a far step a head of time and event. With the current Global Financial Crisis, it is smart and brave for us to create our competitive advantages ahead of schedule. When the Global economy recovered say within 2-3 years time, we have all the leverages to move greater and faster ahead.

(9) Most important, I believe, investing in all these are considered better rather keeping our monies in the banks or else where. It must be remembered, most of our fund are kept in U$, who knows one day the U$ value go down the drain, at least we had spent all the U$ reserves and we had all those competitive advantages in hand.

(10) Let carefully watch China, how are they going to dispose their trillions of U$ reserves in light of the potential U$ depreciation.

(10)Therefore, I would urge all Sarawakian to stand hard by these move. It is nothing about politic, it is something about our economic growth, our employment generation and our future quality of life improvement. Let see it that way, let get focus to development, not politicking!