Score - Bernama

sibu, april 7 (bernama) -- sarawak can reap tremendous benefits when its regional development corridor, the sarawak corridor of renewable energy (score), is successfully implemented by 2030. state second finance minister datuk sri wong soon koh said that for example, its gross domestic product(gdp) has been projected to increase five-fold to rm118 billion in 2030 from rm23 billion in 2006. speaking to newsmen before launching a seven-day exhibition on score at the sibu gateway here monday, he noted that its per capita income has similarly been projected to increase to rm84,077 from rm23,193 during the same period. score, one of the five regional development corridors launched throughout malaysia, is a major initiative to transform sarawak into a developed state by 2020. encompassing 70,709 sq km and with a population of 607,800 people, score stretches for 320 km along the coast from similajau in bintulu to tanjung manis in mukah and extending into the surrounding areas and the hinterland. "the number of jobs to be created will also increase by 1.6 million, from 900,000 in 2006 to 2.5 million in 2030. "for these reasons, every sarawakian should be well informed about score and the many jobs and business opportunities it will generate. they should prepare themselves to exploit them," said wong. he pointed out that foreigners will be especially attracted to invest because of score's renewable energy base and concept. the core of score is the energy resources, particularly hydropower (28,000 mw), coal (1.46 billion tonnes) and natural gas (40.9 trillion sq cu ft) within the central region of sarawak. pointing to the 10 industries that have been identified as priority sectors in score, wong said these will give the greatest economic impact to the state. the industries are oil-based, aluminium, steel, glass, tourism, palm oil, timber-based, livestock, aquaculture and shipbuilding & shiprepair. apart from economic growth, wong said, the people will witness rapid development in the provision of infrastructure, utilities and social amenities in the score area. "i am confident that the living standard of all the people including those in the hinterland and rural areas of the state will be greatly uplifted by then," he added. -- bernama