By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Dec 11:The Sarawak government is developing a comprehensive Policy & Guideline for Development of Minerals Industry in Sarawak, which is expected to be launched next year as part of its strategy to strengthen, modernise, and regulate the State’s growing mineral and quarrying sector.
Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources and Sarawak Minerals Management Authority (SMMA) secretary Datu Abdullah Julaihi said the policy, developed in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), will outline clearer and more holistic management of Sarawak’s mineral and rock resources.
“The upcoming policy framework will set out the government’s stance and implementation guidelines for all industry stakeholders across seven core pillars,” he said when speaking at the launching ceremony of the Green Mining and Quarry Academy at Hotel Seri Malaysia in Lawas, which was streamed live via Ukas Channel today.
The ceremony was officiated by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
The key pillars include Mineral Resources Database, Regulatory Environment, Infrastructure and Logistics, Workforce Development, Institutional Framework, Investor Outreach and Sustainable Mineral Resource Development.
Abdullah revealed that the initiative will introduce 43 new policies, including specific provisions for green mining and quarrying, ensuring that industry growth aligns with environmental sustainability and responsible resource management.
He highlighted that the new policy is one of the priority initiatives under the Sarawak Mining and Quarrying Masterplan 2035, prepared in 2023 to guide the industry’s orderly, sustainable, and competitive growth.
“More than 40 improvement recommendations were proposed under the masterplan, with several already implemented or in progress,” he said.
He emphasised that the development of the policy incorporates input from all relevant parties, including industry players, reflecting Sarawak’s commitment to transparent and inclusive policymaking.
Abdullah noted that Sarawak’s mineral and quarrying industry has long contributed to the State’s physical, social, and economic development but has traditionally been focused on upstream activities.
“In line with the Post Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, the Sarawak government is shifting its development strategy from upstream towards value-added industries — the midstream and downstream sectors,” he said.
This shift, he added, is crucial to stimulate growth across the entire industrial ecosystem, from upstream operations to supporting and ancillary industries.
“The growth of this industrial ecosystem will not only contribute to economic development, but will also create more job opportunities for the people of Sarawak,” he said. — DayakDaily
