Dr Bernau presents a memento to Hamid during the Matariki celebration.
KUCHING (July 2): Tan Sri Hamid Bugo was appointed New Zealand Honorary Consul in Sarawak during the Matariki (Māori New Year) celebration here last night.
He described the appointment as a positive step towards strengthening relationships and creating new opportunities between Sarawak and New Zealand.
“Sarawak is opening itself up; we now have opportunities to progress much faster than before. There are projects that have been planned and executed.
“We need help, collaboration, and assistance not only in terms of investments and financial support but also in technical skills and other forms of support,” he said during the event.
Hamid promised to unite the people of Sarawak and New Zealand to explore available opportunities.
“The most important thing is the people. No matter what plans are implemented or how much funding is available, without the right people to execute them, we will not succeed,” he said.
New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia Dr Sharmila Bernau said Hamid’s appointment is the first appointment of a New Zealand Honorary Consul in Sarawak since Datuk Mohamad Amin Satem’s term ended in 2009.
She noted that it underscores New Zealand’s renewed commitment to strengthening ties with Sarawak and reaffirms the country’s dedication to fostering strategic partnerships in South and Southeast Asia.
Dr Bernau said Hamid’s long career as a leader in Sarawak’s public service, notably as state secretary, and his extensive networks will bring valuable experience and insight to the role.
“Tan Sri Hamid’s appointment as Honorary Consul in Sarawak will provide the New Zealand business and expat community with an important contact point in this fast-developing part of Malaysia,” she said.
Hamid, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by New Zealand’s Lincoln University for his services to conservation, is also the chairman of Petros, Sarawak’s state-owned oil and gas company, and previously served as chairman of Sapura Energy before retiring in 2020.
The Matariki celebration was supported by New Zealand’s Southeast Asia Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (SEA CAPE) and the Malaysia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce.
More than 100 guests attended the event, including senior officials from the Sarawak government, a delegation from SEA CAPE, and members of the New Zealand business and alumni communities in Sarawak.
The historical ties between New Zealand and Sarawak date back to defense cooperation during the Malayan Emergency and educational exchanges under the Colombo Plan.
Thousands of Sarawakian students have pursued their education in New Zealand and returned to Malaysia with distinguished careers, including Hamid, a graduate of the University of Canterbury.