According to a Borneo Post Online report, the Sarawak Chief Minister’s message in the souvenir programme for the state-level National Day celebrations also touched on improvements to income levels and reducing poverty in the state.

Adenan said in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) contribution to the Malaysian economy, Sarawak was only behind Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

Household income meanwhile increased from RM936 in 1970 to RM4,934 in 2014, while the poverty rate had gone down from 56.6 per cent in 1970 to the current 0.9 per cent.

To continue these efforts, the PBB president said the state government had embarked on a comprehensive, balanced and integrated economic plan known as the Sarawak Socio Economic Transformation Plan (SETP).

“Its objective is to enhance the income growth, to narrow the gap of the people’s income and to ensure that Sarawak is a progressive and a high-income state by 2030,” he said, while also thanking the Federal Government for the Pan Borneo Highway, which he said would be a catalyst for growth.

Meanwhile Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Modernisation of Agriculture and Rural Economy, Douglas Uggah Embas, in his message, reminded the people to uphold racial unity, tolerance and cooperation.

He said the people’s support for the state government’s programmes and transformation plan was crucial in ensuring Sarawak’s progress.

The Sarawak state-level National Day celebrations this year will be held in Sri Aman.