KUCHING: Sarawak is considering the introduction of e-residency for foreign investors and professionals to remotely manage their operations in Sarawak from their home countries.
Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg announced that the e-residency program would be modeled after Estonia’s successful initiative, which provides global entrepreneurs with a government-issued digital identity allowing remote access to the Estonian business environment and services.
“Currently, we offer five-year work permits to foreign professionals, but this is a temporary solution,” emphasized Abang Johari.
“Our next step is to implement e-residency, enabling foreign experts and professionals to manage their operations in Sarawak while remaining in their home countries,” he added during the launch of the Tun Abang Haji Openg digital center at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) on August 4.
Abang Johari also highlighted that e-residency would streamline the process for foreign investors and professionals to enter Sarawak.
“We will grant them a special pass for entry and exit, subject to certain terms and conditions,” he explained.
Abang Johari further mentioned that the state government would collaborate with industries and embassies to screen applicants for the program.
However, he mentioned that the e-residency proposal would need approval from the Sarawak Legislative Assembly before it could be implemented.
Nonetheless, Abang Johari did not specify a timeline for when the proposal would be presented to the state legislature.
“This is a novel concept that requires careful study and the development of a suitable model,” he concluded.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
