KUCHING: The state government is committed to the federal government’s initiatives of managing and preserving the environment, as well as developing environmental sustainability.
Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh said this is one of the three thrusts in the Sarawak Economic Development Agenda 2030 to achieve the developed-state status by 2030.
“To ensure that the state’s marine resources are always preserved, the artificial reef cultivation programme has been implemented.”
He said that the 955-km artificial reef stretches from Tanjong Datu near Kuching up to Lawas in Limbang. A total of 16,800 artificial reefs will be place at selected spots at a cost of RM70 million.
“This makes it the longest artificial reef in the world,” he said while representing Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan during a meeting chaired by the Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man at the Natural Resources Building via Zoom application on Monday (May 3).
Len Talif said that the meeting is a formal forum to promote federal-state cooperation and coordination in the management of environmental issues.
“Four feedbacks or interventions were submitted by us during the meeting. Among them are the Proposed Implementation of Government Green Procurement (GGP) and Green Initiatives at the state and local authority levels,” he said.
Among those present during the meeting were the Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources (MUDeNR) permanent secretary Datu Sr Zaidi Mahdi, Sarawak Forest Department director Hamden Mohammad, Sarawak Environment Department director Hamzah Mohammad, Biodiversity and Environment Division administrative officer Justin Jok Jau Imang, and Environmental Quality Sarawak acting controller Peggy Ronin Edin.
