By Amanda L
KUCHING, Feb 25: The Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) has formalised a collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development (MUDeNR), the Ministry of Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development (M-FICORD) and the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability (MEESty) to implement an Environmental Compliance Audit (ECA) pilot for the agriculture, quarrying and mining sectors to strengthen environmental governance and introduce a self regulation framework for industry players.
Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh who officiated at the launch and the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) said the pilot marks a significant step towards reinforcing accountability while supporting sustainable growth.
“The initiative demonstrates Sarawak’s commitment to ensuring that economic expansion in agriculture and extractive industries proceeds responsibly, with clear compliance standards and measurable environmental performance.
“Under the ECA framework, companies participating in the pilot will be required to undertake structured internal audits and strengthen their compliance systems, moving beyond enforcement driven oversight towards a self regulation model,” he said in his speech at the event held at Tegas Digital Village today.
Len said the involvement of the respective ministries is crucial as the targeted sectors fall under their regulatory purview, and coordinated implementation will ensure policy alignment, effective oversight and stronger industry participation.
He added that the whole of government approach reflects the State’s broader commitment to enhancing cross sector accountability and embedding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles within corporate practices.
“The pilot is expected to provide clearer guidance on pollution control, sustainable resource management and environmental reporting standards, while strengthening investor confidence as global markets increasingly prioritise ESG compliance.
“Its outcomes will be assessed to determine the scope for wider implementation as Sarawak advances its long term green growth agenda and positions itself as a responsible, future ready economy,” he said. — DayakDaily
