April 25, 2026
Miri, April 25, 2026 — A four-member AERI delegation visited Miri to attend the "Sarawakku Sayang" (I Love Sarawak) event hosted by the Sarawak government. The delegation included Deputy Director Chen Chao, Advisor Dato' Loh Sua Yaw, Assistant Director Henry H. L. Law, and Deputy Director of the Economic and Trade Committee Wang Ruihan.
At the event's opening ceremony, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg delivered a speech addressing the progress and vision of the Miri Port project.
He stated that the Miri Port project will drive Sarawak's northern region to become an international economic hub, with the development vision benchmarked against Shanghai, China. The deep-water port will accommodate large vessels and cruise ships, while the Kuala Baram area will be reclaimed through hydraulic fill for manufacturing zones and commercial buildings.
"If we can develop this, Miri will become a city like Shanghai, China," Premier Abang Johari said.
He also mentioned that the Sarawak government will take over and upgrade the 2,700-kilometer timber road network, improving rural accessibility and driving economic development along the routes.
Senior Sarawak government officials present at the event included Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah, and Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian; Speaker of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia; Sarawak Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin; Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki; along with multiple cabinet ministers and deputy ministers.
During the event, SKAS assistance handovers and Native Territorial Domain (NTD) document presentations were held. Ten students admitted to Curtin University Malaysia received acceptance letters under the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES).
During the exchange session, Deputy Director Chen Chao stated that the Miri Port project has an excellent location and is supported by the PCDS 2030 strategy. With port, new city, and road development advancing together, there are significant opportunities for enterprises wishing to participate in northern Sarawak's development.
Advisor Dato' Loh Sua Yaw noted that the 2,700-kilometer timber road upgrade represents a massive undertaking. Once rural accessibility improves, economic activity along the routes will follow suit.
Assistant Director Henry H. L. Law and Deputy Director of the Economic and Trade Committee Wang Ruihan also exchanged views with on-site officials regarding project details.
AERI stated that it will continue monitoring Sarawak's development dynamics and plans to publish related research reports subsequently, providing references for enterprises interested in participating in Sarawak's development. The Institute also hopes to maintain communication with the Sarawak government and explore cooperation opportunities in Southeast Asian investment research.
"Sarawakku Sayang" (I Love Sarawak) is a large-scale comprehensive service platform hosted by the Sarawak government, providing various government services directly to the public through on-site visits. The event encompasses five components: official ceremonies, thematic exhibitions, service counters, enterprise sales booths, and community activities. Citizens can access health checkups, educational assistance, entrepreneurship opportunities, welfare services, and digital government services on-site.
In 2026, the program will be conducted across Sarawak's 12 provinces. The Miri session was held at the Miri Stadium from April 24 to 26.