BINTULU: Sarawak is fast becoming a focus for international investors interested in developing large-scale solar energy projects within the state.

Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, stated that this move will simultaneously boost the solar industry's competitiveness in the global market.

"We already have investors on a list who want to generate power through solar energy.

"One of the investors, from Saudi Arabia, has expressed interest and is currently in discussions with us.

"As we know, they have a new city called Neom City that relies entirely on solar power," he said.

He made these comments while speaking at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Signing Ceremony between Bintulu Capital Sdn Bhd and Press Metal Aluminium Sdn Bhd here on Saturday.

The Sarawak Premier added that, besides Singapore, Sarawak has also begun supplying energy to Sabah via the Northern Grid Interconnection Project and is involved in energy investments in Kalimantan.

"Two days ago, we started supplying power (electricity) through the Sarawak Grid to Sabah. We can now become the Borneo Grid because we supply electricity to West Kalimantan, and we also have investments in North Kalimantan," he noted.

He further added that, with the advantage of stable green energy sources, Sarawak is also capable of competing in the global market, including in high-tech industries such as chip production, which involves corporate giants like NVIDIA.

Also present at the ceremony were the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dato Sri Tiong King Sing; Sarawak Secretary, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki; Chairman of the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Abdul Aziz Dato Husain; Chief Executive Officer of Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Berhad, Tan Sri Dato’ Paul Koon Poh Keong; Deputy Sarawak Secretary (Economic Planning and Development), Dato Sri Dr. Abdullah Zaidel; Resident of Bintulu Division, Datu Nyurak Keti; and Deputy Chairman of the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA), Datu Khaidar Khan Asghar Khan. -UKASnews

Reporter: Firdaus Materang
Translator: Ryan Lim
Photographer: Mohamad Rais Sanusi