Bright smiles: Abang Johari visiting the treatment room at D. Dentist in Kuching after officiating the dental clinic. — Bernama
KUCHING: Sarawakians who receive free tertiary education funding from the state government are not required to serve in Sarawak upon graduation.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said recipients are instead encouraged to gain experience outside the state, before eventually returning to contribute to Sarawak.
“If they work elsewhere to enhance their skills, what’s wrong with that? They can return later, bringing the expertise and technological knowledge we need,” he told reporters after the opening ceremony of a dental clinic yesterday.
Abang Johari clarified that the initiative is not a scholarship with service obligations, but one that aims to strengthen the workforce, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), as well as law and accounting, Bernama reported.
The Sarawak government plans to provide free tertiary education funding to Sarawakians by 2026, covering five institutions – i-CATS University College, the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak, University of Technology Sarawak, Curtin University Sarawak and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari also said Sarawak’s health tourism sector is expected to see significant growth with the construction of three private hospitals set for completion within the next three years.
He said the hospitals, located in Batu Lintang, Petra Jaya and Tabuan Jaya, will be equipped with state-of-the-art, international-standard medical facilities and will be staffed by specialist doctors from both local and international backgrounds.
“With our own airline, AirBorneo, we can connect with the world, particularly South-East Asia. For instance, the Jakarta-Kuching route is already in high demand.
“Once the hospitals and airline are fully operational, it will be much easier for doctors and patients to travel here,” he added.
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