By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 24: Sarawak has been appointed lead convener of a landmark World Economic Forum (WEF) initiative to position the Bintulu–Samalaju industrial corridor as Malaysia’s first low-carbon industrial cluster, a transformation projected to contribute RM12 billion annually to the national economy and generate nearly 19,000 jobs by 2040.
Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni revealed this while speaking as a panelist at the Unlocking Capital for Sustainability Malaysia 2026 (UCFS 2026) seminar held at ParkRoyal Collection in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (July 23).
The one-day seminar, themed “Financing Growth for a Resilient Economy”, is a flagship regional sustainable finance event that brought together policymakers, financiers and industry leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region to explore strategies for mobilising capital towards sustainable and resilient economic growth.
In his remarks, Dr Hazland highlighted Sarawak’s proactive approach towards climate action and green growth, reaffirming the State government’s commitment to the WEF’s Transitioning Industrial Clusters (TIC) initiative. The Bintulu–Samalaju region is the first Malaysian cluster to be included in the global initiative.
He said the Sarawak TIC was officially launched in June 2026 as a federal-state collaboration led by the Sarawak Ministry for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (MEESty) as lead convener, with support from MyDIGITAL Corporation and the World Economic Forum.
“Designed as a strategic platform to accelerate clean energy adoption, digital innovation and low-carbon industrial development, the TIC initiative leverages Sarawak’s abundant renewable energy resources and established petrochemical industry base,” he said as reported by Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas).
Dr Hazland said the TIC cluster is anchored by the Bintulu–Samalaju industrial corridor, with more than 25 companies participating and four pilot projects already identified.
“The initiative will transform Bintulu and Samalaju into a coordinated low-carbon industrial ecosystem, strengthening Sarawak’s position as a regional hub for clean energy, green petrochemicals and hydrogen-based industries.
“These efforts are aligned with Sarawak’s broader net-zero ambitions, as the TIC initiative supports the state’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions while reinforcing its leadership role in Malaysia’s green economy,” he said.
Dr Hazland called for continued collaboration between the public and private sectors to accelerate sustainable investment, innovation and the transition towards greener industrial development in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
