No longer dependent on logging revenue

Premier: Focus now on renewable energy, sustainability practices to drive economic growth

KUCHING: Sarawak is transitioning from the era of logging-based economy into sustainable management of forests in view of global climate change, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said Sarawak no longer depends on logging activities as a source of income but is now exploring renewable energy and other sustainable practices to drive its economic growth.

“I want the industry to understand why we have reduced the export of logs and why we are discouraging the cutting of trees unlike before.

“This is because we now have alternative ventures that we can pursue to grow our economy,” he said when officiating at the Sarawak-level International Forests Day 2024 at the Sabal Forest Reserve in Simunjan yesterday.

Abang Johari said Sarawak is a serious player in supporting the global agenda of combating climate change, and collaborations with various credible agencies and the federal government need to be fostered towards a sustainable environment.

“We have to find alternative energy and hydrogen has been identified as the greenest energy. We are serious in trying to

I want the industry to understand why we have reduced the export of logs and why we are discouraging the cutting of trees unlike before.

— Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Premier of Sarawak

produce the hydrogen renewable energy that will mitigate the emissions of carbon,” he said.

He said the Sarawak government has managed to reduce the volume of timber harvested by about two million cubic metres per year.

He explained the decline in logging activities will not greatly impact the state’s coffers because the government is considering imposing tax on hydrogen products to mitigate the shortfall from the reduction in revenue collected from timber levy.

Highlighting on Sarawak’s hydrogen-based projects, Abang Johari explained that the longterm benefits of rolling out the autonomous rapid transit (ART) tram outweighs its initial costs of construction, and this was in line with establishing a carbon-free society.

Meanwhile, the premier approved an allocation of RM50 million for the construction of a multipurpose centre at Sabal Forest Reserve for research purposes and to provide recreational facilities for visitors.

He also proposed that accommodation facilities be provided for visitors or even medical tourists to spend their time in the oldest forest reserve in Sarawak.

“The Sabal Forest Reserve can be regarded as a centre of reference in terms of how we manage our forests in this new era, an era not for logging but an era for reforestation and restoration,” he added.

Moreover, Abang Johari said Sarawak has been classified as not only a net-zero but also carbon-negative state, whereby more oxygen is produced than emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

He explained about 62 per cent or 7.65 million hectares of the land in Sarawak are covered by forests, contributing to about 42 per cent of the total forest coverage in the country totaling 18.05 million hectares.

Commenting on Sarawak Forest Department’s preservation efforts, Abang Johari said he was impressed with the various innovations and systems rolled out by the department to manage the state’s forests as well as for data collection.

A feat was also achieved in the Malaysia Book of Records for the greatest number of ‘Shorea macrophylla’ trees planted in a single event at Sabal forest reserve on March 21 in conjunction with International Forests Day 2024, and a total of 3,010 such trees were planted, he noted.

During the event, a ceremony for the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Sarawak Forest Department and Bintulu Port Holding Berhad also took place, to facilitate collaborations in forest landscape restoration and Greening Sarawak Campaign activities.