Abang Johari welcomes businessmen keen to migrate from peninsular Malaysia to Sarawak; mulls giving PR status but with conditions

Malay Mail

KUCHING, April 28 — The Sarawak government is considering grant permanent resident status to businessmen from peninsular Malaysia as proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said today that he welcomed Fadillah’s suggestion as it would help boost the local economy, but added that there would have to be conditions attached.

“Yes, certainly I welcome the suggestion,” he told reporters after officiating at the national-level World Water Day celebration here.

He agreed with Fadillah that any businessman who wants to apply for the permanent residency must have RM2 million deposit in a soon-to-be Sarawak government-owned bank, buy a property worth RM1.5 million and above and must have business activities, especially in green energy.

Abang also said the state government will not allow them to become Sarawak citizens or marry the locals.

“We also welcome businessmen to come to Sarawak with new ideas.

“We want them to give jobs to the locals as well as to generate the economy,” he said.

Abang Johari said many people are looking at Sarawak as a place to set up business and reside.

“Now we have overtaken Johor as the top three best economic performers in the country.

“Possibly very soon we will overtake Selangor,” he said.

Yesterday, Fadillah proposed that Sarawak impose a minimum deposit of RM2 million into a local bank, or property purchase for a value of not less than RM1.5 million, for business people from the peninsula who want to migrate to the state.

Fadillah, who is also Petra Jaya MP, said that Sarawak’s harmony and political stability were the key reasons cited by the business people he knew for their desire to move to the hornbill state.