Adenan praised for going beyond rhetoric

March 17, 2016

A PBB man says chief minister wants to ensure Sarawak remains in good hands long after he has retired

PETALING JAYA: Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem is laying the foundations for a sustainable Sarawak, driven by a skilled and knowledgeable society rather than being driven by natural resources.

In an interview with FMT, Parti Pesaka Bumiputra (PBB) Supreme Council member Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah explained that Adenan’s policies and decisions pertaining to education and language were aimed at transforming the state so that its growth would be less dependent on its rich natural resources.

“Tok Nan wants to do more than manage the state,” he said. “He wants to ensure its future is in good hands long after he has retired.

“He knows that through better and firmer education policies, Sarawak stands to gain from having a highly skilled workforce capable of excelling not only in the state but also globally.”

Karim, the assemblyman for Asajaya and Sarawak’s Assistant Housing Minister, pointed out that many of Adenan’s announcements on education had been translated into policies that were being implemented.

He said Adenan’s policy of making English the state’s second official language and his persistence in encouraging Sarawakians to master the language was a major indication of how serious he was to develop the state’s human capital.

“Tok Nan has underlined the importance of English as the global language of commerce, science, technology and more,” he said.

Karim also spoke of the state’s recognition of the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), which meant that the certificates could be used to back applications for state civil service jobs and scholarships as well as loans from Yayasan Sarawak. He noted that Sarawak was the first state in Malaysia to recognise the UEC for civil service jobs.

This exemplified how much Adenan valued human capital, he said.

“Tok Nan knows that if we do not recognise the UEC, then many other countries that do recognise it will pinch our talent,” he added.

Karim also pointed out that Adenan’s government had allocated RM12 million for the support of Chinese independent schools in the state and that Putrajaya had answered the Chief Minister’s call for more funding to boost Sarawak’s capabilities in Technical and Vocational Education and Training. (The Human Resources Ministry recently allocated an additional RM10 million for Skills Development Fund Corporation loans in Sarawak over and above the RM20.1 million already allocated for this year.)

“Adenan is steadfast in wanting to empower ordinary Sarawakians to be global citizens who will drive its sustainable growth and take Sarawak to the next level,” Karim said.

“He is sincere in wanting the best for Sarawak. His words are not mere rhetoric, as you can see. These are policies and commitments which have already been implemented.”