SARAWAK Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg has listed three pillars – economic prosperity, social inclusivity and a sustainable environment – that will ensure the state to be developed by 2030.

“In arriving at Sarawak’s vision, it is not only about economic growth.

“It is also about cascading the wealth and prosperity equitably and sustainably to all the people of Sarawak,” Abang Johari said when launching the fourth edition of the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak (IDECS) in Kuching today.

He said he has no doubt that Sarawak will be a developed state with a thriving economy driven by data and innovation.

The chief minister said in order to become a high income and advanced state by 2030, Sarawak’s economy will need to achieve an annual growth rate of 8% “to double the size of our economy from RM133 billion in 2018 to RM282 billion by 2030”.

With the Covid-19 pandemic battering economies all round the world, leaving permanent, long-term effects on how economies and financial systems operate in the future, Abang Johari said Sarawak needs to enhance its productivity to remain competitive.

“At the same time, create a clean, healthy and resilient environment that will last for generations.”

He said one of his focuses on the state’s economy is on lifting existing productivity levels significantly across all sectors through the adoption of digital technology, data and innovation.

“We envisage our exports will increase about three times supported by more high-value-added products created from our manufacturing, agriculture, forestry and mining sectors”

Abang Johari said the state government will help the private sector grow their respective industries and at the same time expect the sector to respond by investing and “do more” in areas that are the state’s focus.

“Our focus will not be only on growing GDP but also how the growth is translated to every Sarawakian.

“We want to significantly increase the average household income from the current RM5,000 to RM16,000 per month by 2030, which will put Sarawak ahead of Malaysia as a whole.

“I want our initiatives and projects to be people- or community-centric. The distribution of wealth to the community must be equitable for both in urban and rural settings.

“Income gap will need to be reduced with an improved GINI coefficient,” Abang Johari said.

The GINI coefficient, also known as the GINI index or GINI ratio, is a statistical measure of economic inequality in a population.

The chief minister also said the low-income household percentage in Sarawak, currently at 53%, has to be addressed holistically.

He said the government has set a target of 10 years to reduce it significantly.

“For every Sarawakian, access to social services will need to be improved. We also must not forget the vulnerable segments of our society.

“Everyone, including our special needs community, will be taken care of.

“The history of previous industrial revolutions suggests that if factors related to social inequality are not appropriately addressed, then there is a risk of the social and digital divide.” – October 7, 2020.