Abang Johari warns against race-based politics in Sarawak
KUCHING: Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Abang Openg has warned political parties against playing on emotions or adopting race-based policies in the new era.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari has cautioned political parties against employing race-based politics in the new era. He emphasized that such an approach could marginalize certain communities from the state's overall development. According to Abang Johari, a community's success nowadays hinges on their capacity to contribute to development, rather than their racial background.
Addressing the Sarawakku Sayang 2026 programme at Betong, he urged Sarawakians to learn from the state's political crisis in 1987, known as the Ming Court Affair. This crisis emerged from a political rift after several leaders and 27 state assemblymen challenged Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, leading to the dissolution of the state legislative assembly and a state election in April 1987, which the Barisan Nasional (BN) party won.
Abang Johari highlighted the inclusive principles of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government, which are evident in Sarawak's higher education policies by providing opportunities for students of all races. The government is prepared to allocate about RM200 million annually to support approximately 8,000 new students each year.
He stressed that if opportunities and development were concentrated solely on one race, it could lead to a divided society, reducing interaction and cooperation between communities. Abang Johari concluded by stating that in Sarawak, all children are given the chance to receive an education, develop expertise, and contribute to the state's development.
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