By Ling Hui
KUCHING, June 11: Sarawak is looking into collaborating with Indonesia in terms of conserving the mangrove ecosystem within Borneo Island for carbon storage.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said he has had discussions with the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia regarding these two areas of interest.
Abang Johari said while preserving the environment through carbon storage, the conservation of mangrove areas in Sarawak could also generate extra revenue.
“Our mangrove forest stretches from Kuching to Lawas. This is an ecosystem that we must preserve. It will be a clear message to the world that we are conserving our environment.
“We can also do studies on the ecosystem not only in terms of carbon storage, but also its products including gula apong,” he said.
Abang Johari, who is also the Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, said the Sarawak government has established the Sago and Nipah Development Board (SNDB) to control and manage Sarawak’s mangrove forests.
“One is to develop the production of products from the mangrove forests, and second is to store carbon. This will generate big returns in terms of funding,” he said during a press conference in Lundu today.
In his earlier speech during the earth-breaking ceremony of Lundu’s new district office, Abang Johari said scientific studies found mangrove trees to be able to store carbon three times more than normal trees.
He thus emphasised Sarawak’s huge potential for large-scale carbon storage due to its vast forest and mangrove coverage.
Among those also present were the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia, and Tanjung Datu assemblyman Azizul Annuar Adenan. — DayakDaily
