By Karen Bong & Chris Bishop
KUCHING, Nov 8: Effective law enforcement must be carried out to ensure economic activities and development in Sarawak not only enhance compliance with environmental laws but also meet environmental management regulations and practices.
With environmental concerns having gained global recognition due to their impact on both current and future generations, Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg stressed that unregulated development, lifestyles, consumption patterns, and irresponsible behaviour must be addressed promptly to mitigate potential adverse impact on the well-being of communities, including Sarawak.
He thus called for stronger cooperation between agencies such as Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) and Department of Environment to ensure Sarawak’s transformation agenda is on the right track and guarantee the continued protection and preservation of the environment.
“To achieve comprehensive environmental preservation and conservation, any economic activity and development programme must be balanced with environmental factors.
“This aligns with the concept of Sustainable Development, which caters to present needs without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations’,” he said in his text-of-speech read out by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian during the State-level National Environmental Day 2023 celebration at Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex today.
Apart from strategic policies and rigorous law enforcement, Abang Johari pointed out that fostering environmental consciousness and stewardship at all societal levels is paramount, and it requires close cooperation, high commitment, and the collective awareness of all stakeholders to prevent environmental pollution.
“Sarawak’s approach, capitalising on global mega-trends in the era of globalisation, digitalisation, the fourth industrial revolution, circular economy, and green economy, can serve as an advantage for driving the State’s economy through innovation and creativity.
“Sarawak is a regional leader in green economy initiatives and is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Malaysian government’s goals following the COP26 resolution,” he added.
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh, Deputy Minister of Local Government Datuk Michael Tiang, and Deputy Minister of Energy and Environment Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni were among those present. — DayakDaily
