By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Oct 25: Carbon credit will be recognised as a trading commodity in Sarawak.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government will soon be able to recognise carbon credit as a trading commodity since Sarawak is venturing into hydrogen technology, also known as green technology.
“The Sarawak Attorney-General’s Chambers (SAG) is already drafting the new ordinance for the state itself,” he revealed.
This is one of the plus points for Sarawak as it invests in the production of hydrogen from water, a clean and renewable energy source which is also abundant in the state.
Abang Johari also said two corporations from Japan namely Sumitomo Corporation and Eneos Corporation have shown interest in working with Sarawak to build factories in Bintulu with annual hydrogen production capacity of 10,000 tonnes.
“One kg of hydrogen is USD8, so how much would 10,000 tonnes bring us?
“All these will become Sarawak’s engineering revenue which is based on green technology,” Abang Johari asserted during the Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Convention at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari hit back at opposition leaders who have critised hydrogen as too expensive and not cost-effective.
He said the process of getting hydrogen from water is slightly high now, but in five years’ time the cost will reduce eventually, just like the price of telephones.
“Telephones at first were very expensive too. Remember the ATUR (automatic telephone using radio) telephones when they were powered using batteries for lorries?
“That was in the olden days, but today, everyone is using this,” he said as he took out a smartphone from his pocket to show the audience.
Noting that time and development could change many things, he emphasised that hydrogen could be very much affordable in times to come.
“Everything is inside this small thing (smartphone) now, it’s convenient and affordable. That means, over time, hydrogen will be cheap,” he added. — DayakDaily
