Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud has urged the people of Sarawak to emulate the spirit and sacrifices of previous generations in liberating the state from the British colonial rule as a guiding light for continued success.

Taib said the sacrifices of past generations should be imparted to young people who would eventually play a key role in developing the state.

"Let the spirit that has given great success to Sarawak since joining Malaysia 50 years ago motivate us to scale greater success for the next 50 years as one of the developed states in Malaysia," he said at a ceremony to commemorate the Sarawak's independence from colonialism at the Kuching Waterfront today.

Among those present were Sarawak Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng and his wife Norkiah and Taib's wife Ragad Kurdi.

Abang Muhammad Salahuddin later launched the Sarawak's 50 Years of Glory Exhibition at the Sarawak Tourism Centre, which will end on Sept 29.

Taib said since joining Malaysia in September 1963, Sarawak had scored many successes in social and economic development.

He said the state's Gross Domestic Product had increased from RM550 million in 1963 to RM108 billion while the per capita income increased 10 times from RM668 to RM4,200.

'Sarawak poverty rate only 2.4 percent'

Sarawak was only able to provide about 300,000 jobs at the outset of its participation in Malaysia, but today it has created 1.1 million jobs while the poverty rate has been reduced from 60 percent to only 2.4 percent, Taib added.

He said the household income had increased from RM426 to RM4,200 per year while the economic growth, which was once confined only to Kuching, Sibu and Miri, was noticeable in other areas, including rural areas.

"Life in rural areas has changed with better healthcare, 95 percent of the rural population has obtained clean water supply and almost 83 percent of the rural population has received electricity supply," he added.

Taib, who was among the first members of the Sarawak cabinet formed in July 1963, said as a developed country required skilled workers to make up at least 33 percent of the workforce, young people should take advantage of the opportunity to study at six universities and several skill institutions in the state to give their family a better future.

The ceremony began with a pantomime recounting the declaration of Sarawak's independence on July 22, 1963, before joining the federation of Malaysia along with Malaya, Sabah and Singapore on Sept 16, 1963.

- Bernama