By Karen Bong
KUCHING, May 13: The Sarawak government will form a dedicated team to work with the London School of Economics (LSE) on a new sustainability initiative that aims to preserve and add value to its rich natural capital while advancing human capital development.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the collaboration will focus on leveraging Sarawak’s biodiversity as a core asset, while ensuring it contributes meaningfully to environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.
He revealed that the Sarawak government had already held discussions with the top management of LSE on May 1 on sustainability and ESG, where the concept of natural capital—referring to assets such as biodiversity and rainforest ecosystems—was identified as a foundation for long-term value creation.
“In Borneo and the tropics, we are among the richest in terms of natural capital, with our rainforests and all that. But these assets only gain value if we also have strong human capital—people who are creative and innovative,” he said during his keynote speech at the International Construction Week (ICW) Borneo 2025 held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
The Premier emphasised that the integration of natural capital and human capital would form the cornerstone of Sarawak’s new sustainability model.
This approach would not only help preserve Sarawak’s vast biodiversity but also drive innovation and skills development through strategic partnerships, especially with global academic institutions like LSE.
“LSE will work with Sarawak to explore the possibility of using new technology to sustain and preserve our biodiversity. At the same time, we aim to enrich our human capital so that we meet our ESG commitments,” he said.
Abang Johari noted that Sarawak is in the process of forming a committee to lead this effort and will be identifying the right individuals to head the initiative on Sarawak’s side, in consultation with the State Secretary and the Ministry of Education.
“This is something new. We need a new approach to how we manage our natural capital on a global scale,” he added.
The initiative is part of Sarawak’s broader push to position itself as a global leader in sustainable development, with a strong emphasis on green innovation, biodiversity conservation, and inclusive economic growth.
Meanwhile, the ICW Borneo 2025 is organised by Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia in partnership with Qube Integrated Malaysia Sdn Bhd. The two-day event brings together policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and innovators under the theme “Innovative Construction for a Sustainable Future”.
Malaysia’s Minister of Works Dato Sri Alexander Linggi, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Minister of Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin and Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan were among the distinguished guests present. — DayakDaily
