Sarawak Day 61st Day Celebration Townhall Session

Credit Source: Pertama Ferroalloys Sdn Bhd

Hosted by Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), a town hall session with Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan was held at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu Campus to commemorate the 61st Sarawak Day celebration, focusing on the theme “A Way Toward Sustainable Sarawak”. The event brought together over 1,300 attendees, including government officials, ministers, and members of the public. 

The session, which took place in conjunction with the state’s anniversary, is aimed to discuss the challenges and opportunities in achieving a sustainable future for Sarawak. 

The event kicked off with a sharing from guest speaker, Professor Dr. Shanti Faridah, Director of the Institute of Sustainable and Renewable Energy (iSuRE) at University Malaysia Sarawak (UMS). Her topic on the Challenges and Opportunities in the context of A Way Forward of Sustainable Sarawak” provided valuable insights and aspirations for the audience. 

Professor Dr. Shahrul Razid Sarbini, Director of UPM Bintulu Campus, moderated the session, emphasizing the importance of the discussion in light of Sarawak Day. 

Datuk Amar Awang Tengah highlighted on his topic “Sarawak’s Past, Present, and Future”, in commemorating Sarawak Day as a remembrance of the struggles for liberation from colonial rule. He also acknowledged the hardships Sarawak has overcome to achieve its current progress, expressing gratitude to all contributors, especially past leaders. 

The Sarawak government’s plans to bolster the state’s economy through taxation were also addressed, with a focus on the state sales tax as per the MA63 agreement. 

The town hall includes a Q&A session with Datuk Amar, where Mr. Yuki Nakamura, General Manager of Pertama Ferroalloys, inquired about the state’s commitment to developing smart cities and potential cooperation with Japan, which he responded that the development of smart cities in Sarawak is in its early stages, with initial focus areas including waste management, safety, health, telecommunications, and transportation. 

The event concluded with a photo session and a singing performance by Datuk Amar Awang Tengah and his entourage. Pertama Ferroalloys’ participation in the event underscored their support for Sarawak Day and their interest in contributing to the state’s development, particularly in the area of smart city planning.