LEEDS: Upon the implementation of free tertiary education initiative in Sarawak-owned universities by 2026, the Sarawak government would then consider sending graduate students to do post-graduate studies overseas.
Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg said, these post-graduate students would be among the learned minds to form the core of Sarawak’s human resource capital to enable the state to forge ahead with its ‘new economy’ pursuits.
Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari said this when addressing Sarawak students studying in universities in and around Leeds during a luncheon held at a local hotel here, on Saturday.
Describing Sarawak’s new economy as an economy built upon renewable resources, environmental sustainability and digitalisation, the state would need a second layer of leaders in the corporate and government sectors to develop the economy further, he told the 15-odd students present.
Citing the setting up of the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre in Kota Samarahan, he said this centre would require talents in the fields of pharmacy, chemistry, biology and microbiology in order for the centre to have the capability of developing new vaccines for tropical diseases.
In the renewable energy space, Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari described Sarawak as being the front runner in the country with all the legal parameters put in place with the passing of new laws that would certainly require the service of new talents in the relevant fields.
Earlier in his speech, he told the students of the purposes of his weeklong visits here, London and Poland.
The Sarawak Premier and members of his entourage arrived here on Friday night firstly to tour the Drax power plant near here that is powered by energy from biomass, later on the second leg to London to seek collaboration with British companies to develop compound semiconductors and on the last leg to Poland to take part in the Central Europe Hydrogen Forum.
Also present at the luncheon were Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Sarawak State Secretary, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, and Chief Political Secretary to the Sarawak Premier, Fazzruddin Abdul Rahman. -UKASnews
