Sarawak seeks federal help to counter negative international perceptions of conservation efforts

KUCHING (Nov 5): Sarawak wants the federal government to help counter negative international perceptions of its environmental record by giving greater exposure to the state’s achievements in forest and biodiversity conservation.

Caretaker Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said Sarawak had made considerable progress in environmental conservation and sustainable resource management, but these efforts were not being adequately communicated to the international community.

He expressed concern that some audiences, particularly in Europe, continued to perceive Sarawak as contributing to forest destruction despite its ongoing conservation initiatives.

“Some of the netizens, especially from Europe, have this perception that we are doing nothing and that we are destroying our forests, our biodiversity, our flora and fauna,” he said when officiating the state-level National Environment Day (HASN) 2026 celebration at a hotel here.

Awang Tengah said stronger communication efforts were needed to ensure Sarawak’s environmental achievements and commitment to conservation received greater international recognition.

“The federal government, through the relevant ministry, has an important role to play in promoting what we have done because there is a gap between our achievements and how we are perceived overseas.

“They have a negative perception of us, when in fact we have achieved a great deal and, in some aspects, have done even better than some European countries,” he said.

Highlighting the state’s conservation efforts, Awang Tengah said Sarawak maintained 7.64 million hectares of forest cover, representing approximately 62 per cent of its total land area.

He said 71 Totally Protected Areas (TPAs), covering about 870,000 hectares of land and marine environments, had also been gazetted to safeguard biodiversity and natural ecosystems.

These protected areas played an important role in preserving wildlife habitats and maintaining ecological balance, he added.

Awang Tengah, who is also Caretaker State Minister of International Trade and Investment and Caretaker Second State Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development, highlighted Sarawak’s contribution to the Heart of Borneo initiative, a conservation programme involving Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam to protect and sustainably manage the island’s forest ecosystems.

He said the state had also planted 65 million trees under the Greening Sarawak Campaign between 2021 and 2026, surpassing its original target of 35 million trees.

The state plans to continue the initiative with a further target of planting 50 million trees, he added.

Awang Tengah also recalled that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had praised Sarawak’s natural resource management and efforts to address haze during a meeting related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He said Anwar had also acknowledged Sarawak’s contribution to Malaysia’s forest conservation commitments, particularly through its extensive forest cover.

Emphasising the importance of sustainable forest management, Awang Tengah said forests were not merely economic resources but also served as carbon sinks, protected water catchment areas and provided habitats for biodiversity.

“Therefore, we must ensure that natural resources are managed sustainably so that their benefits can be enjoyed by present and future generations,” he said.

The HASN 2026 celebration, themed ‘Inspired by Nature, For Climate, For the Future’, was jointly organised by the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) Sarawak and the Department of Environment Sarawak.

Also present were Caretaker Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh; Caretaker Deputy Minister for International Trade, Industry and Investment Datuk Malcolm Mussen Lamoh; Caretaker Deputy Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil; Caretaker Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni; and Department of Environment deputy director-general (Development) Azuri Azizah Saedon.

Awang Tengah conservation international perceptions lead onsite