KUCHING: The Sarawak government is committed to improving its sustainable forest management efforts, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan.
Awang Tengah who is the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC, also known as PUSAKA) board of management chairman, said several initiatives will be undertaken, including ensuring all stakeholders obtain the forest management certification by 2025, and continuing to gazette areas as national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
He said these efforts are in line with the state government’s goal of achieving one million hectares of protected areas.
However, Awang Tengah noted that there is still room for improvement, and the corporation aims to provide guidelines for private agencies as stakeholders to follow.
“The government’s sustainable forest management practices have resulted in the conservation of at least 60 per cent of Sarawak’s total land mass.
“And we aim to achieve at least one million hectares of protected areas by 2025, with additional areas to follow afterward.
“Following our amended forest ordinance, some parties have expressed interest in participating in carbon trading, which could generate revenue for the government. But we (STIDC) would only facilitate the process, while stakeholders would be responsible for carrying out the necessary actions,” he said.
Awang Tengah was speaking at a handover of donations contributed by STIDC and its subsidiaries at Wisma Sumber Alam today.
STIDC and its subsidiaries donated financial aid to 62 charitable organisations, welfare bodies, religious institutions, and educational institutions totalling RM284,000.
The deputy minister hoped that more statutory bodies, government agencies, and corporate sectors will come forward and follow STIDC’s noble efforts to contribute to organisations, charities, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to help carry out their activities.
“We want the prosperity that we achieve to be shared with the community,” he said.
