Sports facilities and health services at Sarikei Hospital to be upgraded, says premier

SARIKEI, Aug  8 2026: Premier Abang Johari Openg said sports facilities at Sarikei Stadium and healthcare services will be upgraded while 10 more dialysis machines will be added to Sarikei Hospital.

Caption: Premier Abang Johari Openg says 10 more dialysis machines to be placed in Sarikei Hospital

He said a proposal to upgrade Sarikei Stadium was submitted by Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment and Kuala Rajang Assemblyman Len Talif Salleh.

He said the addition of 10 dialysis machines at Sarikei Hospital will improve treatment facilities and benefit patients in need of such services.

“So we can add 10 dialysis machines in Sarikei, to be placed at Sarikei Hospital,” he said when officiating the Sarawakku Sayang (SKS) 2026 programme here today.

In another development, Abang Johari said plans to expand Tanjung Manis Airport to enable ATR aircraft operations are expected to open up more opportunities for the growth of the tourism and economic sectors in the area.

He also highlighted the potential of carbon trading through the mangrove forest areas in Sarikei as a new revenue source to be explored.

According to him, the mangrove ecosystem possesses the capacity to store carbon over a long period, thereby providing value to Sarawak in the carbon trading market.

“Carbon trading according to eco-science shows that the land capable of long-term carbon storage is mangrove land. So we have the largest National Park in Malaysia in terms of Mangrove National Parks.

“Imagine how much carbon can be stored, and foreigners who emit carbon will buy, while we store carbon in the mangrove areas.”

In connection with this, he stated Len Taif has been asked to conduct a study on the potential of carbon trading, including the value that can be generated to be channeled back to fund development in Sarikei Division.

The programme also witnessed the symbolic presentation of the Sumbangan Keperluan Asas Sarawak (SKAS) assistance as well as the Sarawak Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES).

Also present were Deputy Premiers Douglas Uggah Embas,  Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, and Dr Sim Kui Hian, Speaker Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar, Sarawak Secretary Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Deputy Ministers, Members of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly, heads of departments and other invited guests.