The formation of Malaysia 54 years ago brought about many economic opportunities and fresh employment for the people of Sarawak which they had never enjoyed before, said Sarawak Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
He said through Malaysia, Sarawak, as a state with a very high number of ethnic groups, had also undergone an experience to adapt themselves as citizens of Malaysia.
"This is not easily achievable but in 50 years, we have been able to strongly convince that the unity of all the ethnic groups in Sarawak is complete.
"And they have also regarded themselves as Bumiputera who are on par with the Malays in the peninsula," he said in a special interview recently with Prof Datuk Seri Dr Syed Arabi Idid.
Taib said that for the people of various ethnic groups in Sarawak, all Bumiputera privileges had been well-received and this had provided a lot of benefits especially to those from the urban areas.
Prof. Syed Arabi is a former Rector of the International Islamic University Malaysia and is now Professor of Communications at the same university.
The Yang Dipertua Negeri said the ethnic groups of Sarawak who resided upstream of rivers had also been able to change their way of life to that of a modern one.
"They regard themselves as citizens of Malaysia who have ample access to job and educational opportunities besides being able to travel to places outside Sarawak such as the peninsula and Sabah as ordinary citizens," said Taib, who was Chief Minister of Sarawak for 33 years, before being appointed to the present post about three years ago.
"This shows the wisdom of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman (Malaysia's first prime minister) who united us in a new nation which has profited all quarters whether in Sarawak, Sabah or Semenanjung (Peninsular Malaysia).
"Nowadays, we see those people who lived in longhouses in the past, are already working in Johor, Kuala Lumpur, in fact, anywhere where there are job opportunities, by using their expertise," he added.
He regarded this as the most important achievement of national integration which was based on a person using economic opportunities.
Taib said the government could speed up the people's adjustment via employment which was related to the country's economy, adding that it was also very important to unite the people in the state.
"So, we in Sarawak are grateful to Allah because we managed to see our children being regarded as citizens of Malaysia wherever we are, whether in Sabah and in the peninsula, in general.
"We are confident of a wider form of development which will create more opportunities for participation in the economies in Sabah and Sarawak. As such, I feel, after 50 years, we can say our effort to form a nation and a Malaysian people has achieved tremendous success".
He, however, stressed that the foundation which was still important for the economy of the nation was the capability to produce goods and services for the economy of the world.
For this, the people of Malaysia must have an attitude of wanting to venture into commerce and seek opportunities everywhere globally, he said.
Bernama
Sun Sep 17 2017
![Formation of Malaysia highly beneficial to Sarawak Formation of Malaysia highly beneficial to Sarawak](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2016-07/61467727816_TSAbdulTaibMahmud.jpg)
Taib said that for the people of various ethnic groups in Sarawak, all Bumiputera privileges had been well-received and this had provided a lot of benefits especially to those from the urban areas. - Filepic
Putin anggap rundingan dengan Ukraine tidak berguna
Presiden Rusia Vladimir Putin menyifatkan, tindakan Ukraine yang menyerang orang awam memperlihatkan keengganan Kyiv menyelesaikan konflik peperangan dua negara dengan cara perdamaian.
Fadillah tiba di Peru, hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof tiba Lima, Peru bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Tenaga (EMM) di bawah Kerjasama Ekonomi Asia Pasifik (APEC) yang berlangsung selama dua hari.
BNM denda Maybank RM4.32 juta, CIMB RM760,000 berikutan gangguan perkhidmatan berpanjangan
Bank Negara Malaysia mengenakan Penalti Monetari Pentadbiran (AMP) sebanyak RM4.32 juta ke atas Malayan Banking Bhd dan Maybank Islamic Bhd serta RM760,000 ke atas CIMB Bank Bhd dan CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd susulan gangguan beberapa perkhidmatan perbankan yang berpanjangan.
![Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723674988_pineapplesweetsme.jpg)
Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine
Auckland City Mission secara tidak sengaja telah mengagihkan gula-gula bercampur Methamphetamine yang boleh membawa maut melalui pek makanan.
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza hadapi kekurangan mesin dialisis
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza menghadapi kekurangan peralatan dialisis dan bekalan perubatan yang teruk di Khan Younis.
Kekejaman zionis: Hamas hilang kepercayaan A.S jadi pengantara gencatan senjata
Hamas hilang kepercayaan terhadap keupayaan Amerika Syarikat untuk menjadi pengantara gencatan senjata di Gaza.
Kekejaman zionis: Hamas tidak ambil bahagian rundingan gencatan senjata baharu
Hamas tidak akan mengambil bahagian dalam pusingan baharu rundingan gencatan senjata Gaza yang dijadualkan di Qatar, pada Khamis.
Malaysia kecam pencerobohan Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Wisma Putra dalam satu kenyataan pada Rabu berkata perbuatan keji ini yang dilakukan di bawah perlindungan pasukan keselamatan Israel, merupakan pencerobohan serius terhadap satu daripada tapak paling suci Islam.
![WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723675747_Mpoxvirus.jpg)
WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global
Ini merupakan pengisytiharan kali kedua dalam tempoh dua tahun berikutan wabak yang bermula di Congo sudah merebak ke negara jiran.
![Turkiye akan terus tingkatkan tekanan ke atas Israel - Presiden Erdogan Turkiye akan terus tingkatkan tekanan ke atas Israel - Presiden Erdogan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723674774_TayyipEMahmoudAbbas.jpg)
Turkiye akan terus tingkatkan tekanan ke atas Israel - Presiden Erdogan
Erdogan maklumkan kepada Presiden Mahmoud Abbas, Turkiye akan terus sokong perjuangan Palestin.
![Dihalang masuk rumah, isteri bekas TYT Sarawak buat laporan polis Dihalang masuk rumah, isteri bekas TYT Sarawak buat laporan polis](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81720795271_TBRaghad.jpg)
Dihalang masuk rumah, isteri bekas TYT Sarawak buat laporan polis
Toh Puan Raghad Kurdi Taib membuat laporan polis selepas mendakwa dihalang memasuki kediamannya di Kuching, Sarawak, minggu lalu.
![Dana rizab Sarawak RM31 bilion semasa kepimpinan Abdul Taib - Nancy Shukri Dana rizab Sarawak RM31 bilion semasa kepimpinan Abdul Taib - Nancy Shukri](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/61708644573_TaibMahmud.jpg)
Dana rizab Sarawak RM31 bilion semasa kepimpinan Abdul Taib - Nancy Shukri
Dengan rizab sebanyak itu, Sarawak tidak risau apabila tiba-tiba menjadi pembangkang sewaktu PH ambil alih tampuk kepimpinan pada 2018.
![Jenazah Tun Taib Mahmud selamat disemadi Jenazah Tun Taib Mahmud selamat disemadi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/81708594892_TBTAIBMAHMUDjpg.jpg)
Jenazah Tun Taib Mahmud selamat disemadi
Jenazah Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, selamat dikebumikan di perkuburan keluarganya di Demak Jaya, di Kuching pada 2.20 petang Khamis.
![Sultan Brunei berkenan sertai solat jenazah Taib Mahmud Sultan Brunei berkenan sertai solat jenazah Taib Mahmud](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/51708595158_TBTAIBMAHMUDj.jpg)
Sultan Brunei berkenan sertai solat jenazah Taib Mahmud
Sultan Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah berkenan menyertai solat jenazah bekas Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud di Masjid Demak hari ini.
![Hujan tidak halang ribuan rakyat beri penghormatan terakhir kepada Tun Abdul Taib Hujan tidak halang ribuan rakyat beri penghormatan terakhir kepada Tun Abdul Taib](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/81708581174_TBIstiadatPenghorma.jpg)
Hujan tidak halang ribuan rakyat beri penghormatan terakhir kepada Tun Abdul Taib
Cuaca hujan tidak menghalang ribuan rakyat membanjiri Atrium DUN Sarawak bagi menghadiri Istiadat Penghormatan Negeri buat Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
![Pemergian Tun Abdul Taib: Saya kehilangan kawan baik - Alfred Jabu Pemergian Tun Abdul Taib: Saya kehilangan kawan baik - Alfred Jabu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/71708478142_TunAbdulTaibMahmu.jpg)
Pemergian Tun Abdul Taib: Saya kehilangan kawan baik - Alfred Jabu
Bekas Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang hari ini menzahirkan ucapan takziahnya atas pemergian bekas Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud.
![Suasana pilu selubungi Istiadat Penghormatan Negeri Abdul Taib di DUN Sarawak Suasana pilu selubungi Istiadat Penghormatan Negeri Abdul Taib di DUN Sarawak](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/71708568935_TBtaibmahmudj.jpg)
Suasana pilu selubungi Istiadat Penghormatan Negeri Abdul Taib di DUN Sarawak
Suasana pilu menyelubungi DUN Sarawak hari ini sebaik jenazah Abdul Taib Mahmud tiba bagi Istiadat Penghormatan Negeri.
![Istiadat penghormatan negeri, pengebumian Abdul Taib Mahmud hari ini Istiadat penghormatan negeri, pengebumian Abdul Taib Mahmud hari ini](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/81708564623_TaibMahmud.jpg)
Istiadat penghormatan negeri, pengebumian Abdul Taib Mahmud hari ini
Istiadat penghormatan negeri dan pengebumian bekas Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud akan berlangsung hari ini.
![Allahyarham Abdul Taib ibarat tokoh tidak berhenti tabur bakti - Ismail Sabri Allahyarham Abdul Taib ibarat tokoh tidak berhenti tabur bakti - Ismail Sabri](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/71708485458_TaibMahmud.jpg)
Allahyarham Abdul Taib ibarat tokoh tidak berhenti tabur bakti - Ismail Sabri
Ismail Sabri berkata jasa dan pengorbanan Allahyarham Abdul Taib untuk negara khususnya Sarawak amat besar.
![Raja-raja Melayu zahir ucapan takziah pemergian Taib Mahmud Raja-raja Melayu zahir ucapan takziah pemergian Taib Mahmud](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/81708510981_TBTaibMahmud.jpg)
Raja-raja Melayu zahir ucapan takziah pemergian Taib Mahmud
Raja-raja Melayu menzahirkan ucapan takziah kepada keluarga bekas Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud yang meninggal dunia.