He said the sacrifices of past generations should be imparted to young people who would eventually play a key role in developing the state.
“Let the spirit that has given great success to Sarawak since joining Malaysia 50 years ago motivates us to scale greater success for the next 50 years as one of the developed states in Malaysia,” he said at a ceremony to commemorate the Sarawak’s independence from colonialism at the Kuching Waterfront here.
Present were Sarawak Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng and his wife, Toh Puan Norkiah, and Taib’s wife, Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib.
Abang Muhammad Salahuddin later launched the Sarawak’s 50 Years of Glory Exhibition at the Sarawak Tourism Centre which will end on Sept 29.
Taib said since joining Malaysia in September 1963, Sarawak had scored many successes in social and economic development.
He said the state’s Gross Domestic Product had increased from RM550 million in 1963 to RM108 billion while the per capita income increased 10 times from RM668 to RM4,200.
Sarawak was only able to provide about 300,000 jobs at the outset of its participation in Malaysia, but today it has created 1.1 million jobs while the poverty rate has been reduced from 60 per cent to only 2.4 per cent, he added.
He said the household income had increased from RM426 to RM4,200 per year while the economic growth which was once confined only to Kuching, Sibu and Miri was noticeable in other areas, including rural areas.
“Life in rural areas has changed with better healthcare, 95 per cent of the rural population has obtained clean water supply and almost 83 per cent of the rural population has received electricity supply,” he added.
Abdul Taib, who was among the first members of the Sarawak Cabinet formed in July 1963, said as a developed country required skilled workers to make up at least 33 per cent of the workforce, young people should take advantage of the opportunity to study at six universities and several skill institutions in the state to give their family a better future.
The ceremony began with a pantomime recounting the declaration of Sarawak’s independence on July 22, 1963 before joining the federation of Malaysia along with Malaya, Sabah and Singapore on Sept 16, 1963.
The historic farewell ceremony was brought to life, starting with the British governor then, Sir Alexander Waddell and his wife leaving the Astana perched on Sungai Sarawak bank opposite the state capital to the Square Tower in Pangkalan Batu (now Kuching Waterfront).
Accompanied a flotilla of sampan, Waddell was greeted by incoming governor then, Datu Abang Openg and first chief minister (Datuk) Stephen Kalong Ningkan and his Cabinet members and senior officials.
The Union Jack was lowered before the new Sarawak flag was hoisted, after which Waddell boarded the Loch Killisport vessel to leave Sarawak, thus marking the end of colonialism and the beginning of Sarawak’s independence.
– BERNAMA
