Dr Hazland (second from left), Newbill (second from right), Morshidi (left) and Sudarnoto give a thumbs up while posing for a group photo during the press conference. – Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING (June 14): Sarawak’s abundant natural resources have become a niche attracting foreign investment to the state, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability Dr. Hazland Abang Hipni said.
As the world works towards the carbon reduction or decarbonization agenda, he pointed out that Sarawak has been blessed with renewable energy which has become a major asset to the state.
“Sarawak is known globally for having a green technological setup where approximately 70% of the state is covered in forests in addition to our abundance of waterways, year-round rainfall and sunshine.
“All of these are the natural package for Sarawak to receive as many foreign investors as possible,” he told a press conference after chairing the Initiative’s regional digital connectivity workshop. of Young Southeast Asian Leaders (YSEALI) at the Borneo Cultures Museum here today.
Also in attendance were Charge d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur Michael Newbill, Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Morshidi Abdul Ghani and Managing Director Sudarnoto Osman.
Dr Hazland said Sarawak has always welcomed foreign investment in the state.
“We have always been friendly with all foreign investors who wish to invest in Sarawak.
“The Sarawak government is also supportive of this, where incentives are given to foreign investors through various means such as low energy tariffs, competitive labor costs as well as a special regime for the free trade zone. exchange where they can either lease the land long term. term lease or buy the land at a highly subsidized rate,” he said.
Newbill, sharing the same sentiment, noted that the biggest potential source of investment in the state is green energy and technology.
“There are a number of American companies here already and they have been here for decades, particularly in the oil and gas industry and all the technologies involved, from upstream to downstream. We also have a number of American companies in the hotel and tourism industry that have invested here.
“We are now working with US companies interested in these areas to explore what Sarawak can offer and what we can contribute,” he said.
Although he did not have a figure for the number of American companies that have invested in Sarawak, he estimated that these companies were “well in the dozens”.