Sarawak ministries to host legacy-driven business events under BESA starting 2026
by Matthew Umpang · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (Dec 17): All Sarawak ministries will be required to commit to organising a minimum of two legacy-driven business events as part of a new framework aimed at strengthening policy delivery and long-term development outcomes, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the requirement will take effect from 2026 and marks a shift towards embedding business events directly into government operations rather than treating them as stand-alone activities.
He said the approach will be formalised through the Business Events Sarawak Alliance (BESA).
“Today, we mark the first milestone of this declaration with the launch of BESA. Beginning in 2026, all ministries will enter strategic collaboration with Business Events Sarawak to utilise business events as tools for policy delivery, sector development, and long-term legacy creation,” he said in a speech read by State Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah during the inaugural Sarawak Business Events Forum 2025 at a hotel here.
Under the alliance, he said ministries will be expected to take ownership of events aligned with their respective portfolios, with emphasis placed on long-term legacy outcomes rather than short-term economic returns.
He said ministries that meet the legacy-driven criteria will receive structured support, including qualification, evaluation and facilitation assistance to ensure consistency and accountability in event delivery.
He also said that ministries and agencies will also be involved in targeted training programmes and exposure opportunities to strengthen internal capabilities, improve knowledge transfer and enhance expertise in measuring long-term impact.
“This alliance empowers ministries not merely as participants, but as owners of impact,” he said.
For him, the initiative reflects the state government’s intention to break down silos within the public sector and promote coordinated action across ministries.
“Meaningful progress requires a whole-of-government approach, where every ministry moves with shared purpose, shared responsibility and shared ambition,” he said.
Meanwhile Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) during the event formalised closer collaboration with the Sarawak government through the adoption of the Borneo Legacy Declaration and the launch of BESA at the Sarawak Business Events Forum.
BESarawak in a statement said that the move positions business events as long-term instruments for policy delivery and sustainable development.
The Borneo Legacy Declaration, formed on Oct 3 during the Legacy Event Advocacy Policy (LEAP) Summit, is a shared commitment by 36 policymakers and industry leaders from Malaysia, Australia, Korea, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States, it added.
The statement also said that beginning in 2026, Sarawak ministries will collaborate with BESarawak through BESA to use business events as tools to advance policies aligned with the Post-Covid Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
Under the framework, the state will commit to owning and hosting at least two national or international business events, with priority given to homegrown initiatives. BESA will also support capacity building for ministries.
The Sarawak Business Events Forum also outlined Sarawak’s 13th Malaysia Plan, which focuses on inclusive and sustainable growth in line with PCDS 2030.
Also present during the event were State Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, Deputy State Secretary (Operations) and BESarawak chairman Datu Hii Chang Kee, chief executive officer Amelia Roziman and other officials.