Sarawak to work harder to raise household income, says deputy premier

THE Sarawak government needs to work harder to improve the household income of the people.

Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan said that although the World Bank had stated that Sarawak was recognised as a high-income state, the situation on the ground needs improvement.

“The Sarawak government will give greater focus on improving the financial status of households at the grassroot levels.

“At the education level and skills training levels, we must make sure families are prepared for high-income jobs.

“The World Bank said Sarawak is a high income state.

“So we must make sure our households are also getting high income so that their living standards are on par with high-income states,” he said in his Sarawak Day message today.

Amar said poverty eradication is a top priority in Sarawak.

He stressed the need to push forward with developments during this post-Covid era.

Though the World Bank had last year said Sarawak is seen as a high-income state, the national E-Kasih records have logged at least 90,000 Sarawakians as living below the poverty line.

Today, Bintulu town is hosting the state-level Sarawak Day 2024 celebration.

Sarawak gained independence from British rule on July 22, 1963.

Sarawak then joined with Malaya, Singapore and Sabah to form Malaysia on September 16, 1963. – July 22, 2024.