Sarawak To Roll Out Four Pilot Projects Under Bintulu TIC This Year - Abang Johari
KUCHING, June 11 (Bernama) -- Sarawak will roll out four pilot projects this year under the Bintulu Transitioning Industrial Cluster (TIC) initiative to accelerate industrial decarbonisation, strengthen competitiveness and position the state as a leader in low-carbon industrial development in Asia.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the projects would focus on smart manufacturing operations, Sarawak carbon capture, utilisation and hydrogen (CCU-H2) hub, industrial symbiosis and Bintulu TIC talent development to support the transition towards a more sustainable and technology-driven industrial ecosystem.
He said the TIC serves as a coordinated platform that brings together industry players, government agencies, technology partners and financiers under a common framework to drive industrial transformation across the Bintulu-Samalaju corridor.
“Decarbonising industries through the TIC initiative will be an important part of meeting Sarawak’s goal of maintaining its net-negative position while creating new opportunities for investment, industrial growth and long-term economic resilience,’ he said in his keynote address at the launch of the Bintulu TIC here today.
Abang Johari said the first pilot project -- smart manufacturing operations -- would leverage digital technologies, connectivity and data-driven optimisation, while the Sarawak CCU-H2 hub would explore pathways for large-scale carbon utilisation and hydrogen production.
The third initiative -- industrial symbiosis -- seeks to create opportunities for companies to share resources, utilise waste streams and improve efficiency through a more circular industrial ecosystem, while the Bintulu TIC talent initiative will focus on upskilling and reskilling workers for emerging low-carbon industries.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari said Sarawak is prioritising the Bintulu-Samalaju rail alignment as the first phase of its rail development programme to support the state’s industrial transformation agenda.
“Once completed, it will connect Bintulu Port, Kidurong Industrial Estate and Samalaju Industrial Park into a more integrated industrial and logistics corridor,” he said.
The Premier said the next phase of industrial growth would be shaped by integrated ecosystems linking energy, industry, technology, infrastructure and talent, rather than individual industrial facilities operating in isolation.
Abang Johari also said Sarawak aims to position Bintulu as one of the first movers in the next industrial era, noting that few locations in Southeast Asia possess the combination of strategic location, energy resources, industrial scale, and growth potential found in the Bintulu-Samalaju corridor.
“We are developing an integrated industrial ecosystem, one that can draw global partnerships, support Sarawak’s energy transition, and strengthen Malaysia’s long-term economic competitiveness.
“If we succeed, Bintulu will not only contribute to Sarawak's future. It can help shape the future of industrial development in Malaysia, ASEAN and beyond,” he said.
-- BERNAMA