Tourism minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah signs the Borneo Legacy Declaration. Photo Credit: BESarawak
The Sarawak government on 17 December formalised a deeper public–private partnership with the business events sector, adopting the Borneo Legacy Declaration and launching the Business Events Sarawak Alliance (BESA) at the Sarawak Business Events Forum.
Facilitated by Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), the move signals a shift by the state to reposition business events as long-term instruments for delivering policy outcomes and sustainable development.
Adopted following the Legacy Event Advocacy Policy (LEAP) Summit on 3 October, the Borneo Legacy Declaration reflects a shared commitment by 36 policymakers and industry leaders from Malaysia, Australia, South Korea, the Philippines, the UK and the US to champion legacy impact and the strategic use of business events to drive sustainable economic growth.
First, a new alliance
The creation of BESA marks the declaration’s first implementation milestone.
Under BESA, Sarawak’s government ministries will, from 2026, enter into structured collaborations with BESarawak to “own” the impacts of selected business events. Ministries will use national and international events to advance policy priorities and generate outcomes aligned with the state’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
As part of the commitment, the Sarawak government will host at least two national or international business events, with homegrown events prioritised through a qualification framework. BESA will also provide capacity-building opportunities for government ministries to strengthen their skills and legacy impact advocacy.
Proof in 100% bid success
Abdul Rahman Zohari, Premier of Sarawak, represented at the forum by Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the sector’s performance has reinforced the state’s competitiveness and earned government confidence.
“Since integrating business events into PCDS 2030, 50% of the 541 secured events between 2021 and 2025 are legacy-driven,” the minister said.
“We have achieved a 100% success rate in event bidding and pitching during this period,” he said, adding that the Sarawak Business Events Fund will increase by 15% from 2025 to 2026.
Local capabilities
Moreover, 72 homegrown events have been developed since business events were incorporated into the PCDS 2030, including the Borneo International Water & Wastewater Exhibition & Conference and International Energy Week, highlighting growing local capability in hosting high-impact events.
BESarawak CEO Amelia Roziman described the adoption of a legacy impact approach as a turning point. “This places business events firmly on the right path toward long-term national development. It marks a significant step in bridging knowledge with development outcomes, reinforced by Sarawak’s 13th Malaysia Plan (2026–2030) and its strong focus on sustainable development.”
The forum also outlined Sarawak’s 13th Malaysia Plan (2026–2030), which focuses on accelerating inclusive and sustainable growth through investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, digitalisation, human capital and rural development, supported by strong governance and public–private collaboration.