KUCHING: Mambong assemblyman Datuk Dr Jerip Susil has revealed that Sarawak might pass a law or Bill on carbon credit trading this year.
When that happens, the state will be the first in Malaysia to do so.
Dr Jerip, who is also Assistant Transport Minister said, “This year, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg is going to enact a law or Bill to ensure that there is carbon credit trading (in the state). By June this year, there will be laws to ensure how to do carbon credit trading. It will be one of the big things coming this year.
“Our neighbouring country, Indonesia is already far ahead with carbon credit trading.
“After all, with the climate changes in the world, there are people who are going to pay a certain amount of money for preservation of forest and timber in the jungles. But we need laws for that, so either by May or June, the law will be there..
“There is also going to be a huge conference in Sarawak this year on how to do environmental sustainability in all these areas because Borneo is one of the oldest rainforests that still exist (in the world),” he said during the official launch of the new logo for Persatuan Usahawan Bidayuh Penrissen (PUBP) at a renowned hotel here on Saturday (Feb 19).
“Imagine all the Bungs – Bung Penrissen, Bung Bratak, Bung Sepit – all the mountains, all the Tapang trees being preserved and every Tapang tree being paid five United States dollars every year,” added the assistant minister.
Dr Jerip who is also the PUBP patron, explained that a chip would be put in a tree and the data would be transmitted to a centre to make sure that the tree was not cut down and the people would be paid every year.
“Therefore, the Chief Minister will pass the law very soon and that is why there is the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability because it is going to be the next thing for the next climate change.
“It is also going to involve the communities who are required to identify their trees and when the buyers come, they will come to put the chips in the trees to make sure they will not be cut down.
“The Chief Minister’s idea is to monetise all of our state’s forests, national parks and all the trees in there. Every tree will get a lot of income,” said Dr Jerip.
