By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Mar 31: Sarawak has gazetted a total of 2.1 million hectares as Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) under its sustainable forest management agenda, surpassing the initial target of one million hectares, says Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.
Breaking it down, Awang Tengah, who is also the Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, elaborated that of the 2.1 million hectares, about 1.2 million hectares are on the water bodies of Sarawak, while the remaining are on land.
“This pertains solely to the TPAs. For the Permanent Forest Estate, we have reached nearly four million hectares, including the recent additions of Data Julan and Sungai Tutoh,” he said to reporters after attending the Forest Department Sarawak’s (FDS) Hari Raya Aidilfitri Open House 2026 at Wisma Sabati today.
Awang Tengah said that Sarawak’s forests are rich in biodiversity, featuring a diverse array of flora and fauna, and that the State’s commitment to sustainable forest management includes the implementation of compulsory forest management certification.
He added that several conservation programmes are currently ongoing, including the upcoming seminar on scientific expeditions in Sabal and Simunjan, scheduled for June.
“Forests are recognised as natural capital, contributing to economic, environmental, and social value,” he said.
He also highlighted that the January 2026 timber production figure from natural timber amounted to 277,427 m³, while 79,509 m³ came from its planted forest.
Awang Tengah further revealed that the recorded export value for timber products in 2025 was RM2.5 billion, while the imported value was RM245 million.
He added that local companies are permitted to import certain species to add value to their products.
“We hope all agencies, especially the FDS and its agencies, can continue to increase their efforts to implement the best management practice for our forest and its products,” he said.
Also present at the function were the director of the FDS, Datu Hamden Mohammad, and the Natural Environment Board Controller, Datu Jack Liam. — DayakDaily
