KUCHING, Oct 13 2026: The state government has agreed in principle to allocate 5,000 hectares to Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (SALCRA) to develop new income sources, ensuring the organisation's long-term financial sustainability.
Minister of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, who is also SALCRA Chairman, Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, said the approval is an important step in supporting the transformation agenda of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
"Our direction is clear. SALCRA must become stronger, more efficient and increasingly self-reliant financially.
"SALCRA cannot continue to depend on traditional sources of income. We need to diversify revenue sources, increase profits and explore new businesses based on our existing expertise," he said at the SALCRA Golden Jubilee Dinner in conjunction with its 50th anniversary celebration last night.
The event was also attended by Premier Abang Johari Openg.
Dr Rundi explained that the SALCRA Transformation Plan 2026–2030, drawn up following the SALCRA Corporate Study in 2024, is also aligned with the Sarawak SOE Transformation Roadmap 2026–2030.
He said potential areas to be explored include green and renewable energy, bio and organic fertiliser production, food security-related activities and downstream oil palm industries.
In addition, SALCRA's expertise in managing Native Customary Rights (NCR) land, plantations and mills could be commercialised through consultancy, management and technical services.
Dr Rundi said that over its five decades, SALCRA has developed about 55,000 hectares of oil palm plantations, benefiting more than 22,000 families from over 400 villages and longhouses in Sarawak.
Since 1985, SALCRA has also distributed nearly RM1.2 billion in net proceeds or dividends to participants of its land development schemes.
He said the achievements prove SALCRA's role not only in developing agricultural land, but also in improving the socioeconomic status of rural communities through employment opportunities, income and infrastructure development.
Deputy Premiers Douglas Uggah Embas and Dr Sim Kui Hian, Sarawak Secretary Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, state ministers and deputy ministers among those present.
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