KUCHING, 22 April 2025 – The Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, welcomed two important courtesy calls at his office today. The visits mark significant strides in strengthening Sarawak’s international ties and fostering regional partnerships in various sectors.
The first courtesy call was from the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Interparliamentary Committee. The delegation, comprising 11 Members of Parliament from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, is on a week-long working visit to Malaysia. Their primary goal was to strengthen Malaysia–EFTA relations and discuss the recently concluded Malaysia–EFTA Economic Partnership Agreement (MEEPA), which was finalized on 11 April 2025.
This meeting opened up avenues for greater trade and investment cooperation between Malaysia and the EFTA countries. Key topics discussed included potential collaborations in Sarawak’s innovative green energy sector, with particular interest shown in the state’s emerging hydrogen economy. The Norwegian delegation was headed by Ms. Trine Lise Sundnes, the Swiss delegation by Mr. Thomas Aeschi, and the Liechtenstein delegation by Mr. Sebastian Gassner. They were joined by Deputy State Secretary (Economic Planning and Development) Datu Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, among other notable delegates.
Following this, the Premier also received a courtesy call from Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, the Director of the Asian Women’s Leadership Project Malaysia Berhad. She highlighted ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening leadership and governance, especially for women in leadership roles and corporate directors. The project, which collaborates with SCOPE and the Asian Women’s Leadership University College, offers training and capacity-building programs to empower women in leadership positions. Also present at the session were Mr. Joseph Lim Jit Sek, CEO of SCOPE, and Prof. Dr. Sushila Krishnaswamy-Chang, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of the Asian Women’s Leadership University College.
The courtesy calls reflect Sarawak’s growing international engagement and its commitment to fostering innovation and leadership development at both regional and global levels. – Sarawakku
