KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg wants Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) to conduct research on biodiversity.
He made the call during the inauguration of the Sheikh Othman Sarawak Endowment Chair at the university’s campus in Bangi, today (Oct 25).
He explained that last September was recorded as the hottest period ever recorded by the world, with China experiencing a heatwave.
The solution to this crisis is to reduce the Earth’s temperature, and Sarawak, which is rich in biodiversity, plays a crucial role in controlling climate temperatures.
“The initiative by the Sarawak government to increase oxygen production and control carbon has been seen as a positive step in addressing the global climate crisis.
“Hence, we encourage this chair to conduct research in biodiversity… to produce oxygen and also control the global heat,” he said.
Abang Johari also touched on the need to capture and store carbon in the soil, which would help to reduce the global crisis.
According to him, these efforts not only help in the global carbon conservation issue but also provide an opportunity for Sarawak to make a positive contribution to global environmental problem-solving.
On the Sheikh Othman Sarawak Endowment Chair facility, he said Sheikh Othman’s life journey is an inspiration that should be emulated by the present generation.
“Taking inspiration from Sheikh Othman’s life journey, we, as the present generation, need to realise the importance of effort and sacrifice in the pursuit of knowledge.
“Especially for the children of Sarawak, their involvement is the key to a brighter era. This means we need to create and develop thinking abilities that are suitable for current and future challenges,” he said.
