The ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition at the federal level wants Sarawak to be developed on par with the peninsula, said Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in Sibu tonight.

Wan Azizah, who is also Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, said Sarawak is a big state that is rich in resources that could be harnessed to build up its potential for the betterment of its people.

"This is what we want for Sarawak. This is what we have promised..we want change and justice for all," she said at a dinner event with the rakyat in conjunction with her maiden visit to the state since being appointed as deputy prime minister.

Also present were Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Fuziah Salleh, MP for Julau Larry Sng, MP for Miri Dr Michael Teo, MP for Johor Bahru Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir and MP for Lubok Antu Jugah Muyang.

Wan Azizah, who earlier visited a longhouse and attended a briefing on the development of pepper crop in Julau, Sarikei, said despite the backwardness of Sarawak, she was impressed with the people who were hardworking and vast areas of fertile land available.

She said the onus was on the government to provide the necessary infrastructure and basic amenities including roads, clean water and electricity.

Her ministry would also work closely with officers from the Prime Minister's Department to rectify shortcomings in the E-Kasih initiative for the deserving recipients in Sarawak, including providing allocations, she said.

On another note, Wan Azizah, who is also PKR president, also wanted party members who won in the e-voting party elections not to forget those who had fought for the party's struggles together with them.

"You must hold on to values of idealism, integrity, accountability, truth and justice," Wan Azizah said, adding that she wanted to see a strong party that was not divided.

Sarawak is the last state to go to the PKR polls on Nov 10.   

The deputy prime minister left for Kuala Lumpur tonight after a one-day working visit to Sarawak.

- Bernama