This Content Is Only For Subscribers
By William Isau
SIBU, June 12: The Oil Palm Mill in Selalang and the Tanjung Manis Halal Hub, both in Kuala Rajang, have been selected for the expansion of microalgae farming in Sarawak.
“At both sites, 100 hectares will be developed first and then increased to 2,000 hectares,” said Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration, and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh.
The Kuala Rajang assemblyman said that microalgae not only can be used to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) but also a number of other products.
“There are so many products that can be derived from this project such as fertilizer, fish feed or bioplastics and more,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 50th anniversary of the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) last night.
He hoped that the microalgae farming expansion would benefit the local community in the area.
Meanwhile Len Talif hoped Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) will allow Licence for Planted Forests (LPF) holders to plant bamboo.
“What I mean is, under the regulations of the Forest Department, they list the species that can be planted, but for now they (FDS) let it be—the amount of bamboo that they (LPF holders) want to plant. They can choose to plant bamboo in their whole area,” he said.
Len Talif said in the event that companies could not reap much profit from this venture, bamboo can help in addressing climate change.
“Bamboo is one of those plants that is good at carbon sequestration of at least four or five times compared to other trees. If they could not earn much profit from selling it, at least it can be used for carbon sequestration or carbon trading,” he said.
He said this was in line with STIDC exploring new initiatives in driving sustainability in Sarawak’s timber industry by ensuring optimum utilisation of planted forest and bamboo resources to further develop the timber industry.
“STIDC started to promote the bamboo industry in 2018 and recognised its potential as a renewable resource to produce and commercialise products such as furniture, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, bamboo bio-char, bicycles, water filters and textiles. This is to ensure that both the upstream and downstream industries contribute to environmental sustainability. Apparently, bamboo has the potential to substitute for plastic,” he said. — DayakDaily
