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Dr Hazland (centre) receives a memento from Misnu witnessed by Dr Abdul Rahman (second left), Mual (right) and Zaidi. – Photo by Matthew Umpang

KUCHING (July 30): Sarawak must fully harness its abundant natural resources to balance climate change mitigation with economic development, said State Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni.

“Sarawak is blessed by Allah Ta’ala with both nature-based and technical-based solutions for climate change mitigation.

“It would not be very smart for Sarawak not to capitalise on all these natural resources that have been entrusted to us,” he said during the closing ceremony of the ‘International Seminar on Humanity and Climate Change Crisis: A Multidimensional Perspective’ at the Islamic Complex Hall here today.

The seminar was jointly organised by the Sarawak Islamic Council (MIS) and Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) and aimed to explore the intersection between faith, science and sustainable development amid the global climate crisis.

Dr Hazland spoke about Sarawak’s vast carbon storage potential through its forests and depleted oil wells, which could store up to 10 billion tonnes of carbon — including an estimated one billion tonnes from its land-based carbon sinks and a further nine billion tonnes from offshore storage through Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technology.

“Our forests, mangroves, and peatlands cover 62 per cent of Sarawak’s 12.5 million-hectare landmass, which is equivalent in size to Peninsular Malaysia or England,” he said.

With major hydroelectric dams such as Batang Ai, Murum, Bakun, and the ongoing Balleh project serving as a foundation for the state’s green energy drive, he commented that Sarawak’s rivers have also been key to its clean energy initiatives.

He also praised the leadership of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, calling him the ‘chief caliphah’ driving Sarawak’s transformation.

“This is the turning point. Our leaders recognised the value of hydroelectricity even in the 1970s. Now, we are expanding that with floating solar panels and renewable hydrogen development.

“Our Premier has the vision and courage to explore uncharted waters. With our natural and technical resources, we can pursue our dream of balancing sustainability and economic growth,” he said.

He cited the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 as a roadmap guiding this transformation upon three pillars—economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social inclusivity.

Meanwhile, Dr Hazland also touched on the state’s four-pronged framework for achieving its green goals, comprising regulatory, technical, financial, and human resource components.

He thus encouraged all stakeholders, including religious and academic institutions, to support the state’s efforts by integrating environmental ethics and spirituality into education and policymaking.

“From legal frameworks to green financing, from technology partnerships to human capital development, all are in place. Our Green Economy Policy, Hydrogen Economy Roadmap, and Sustainability Roadmap are already being implemented,” he said.

“This seminar (for example) should not be the end of the discussion. Let it be a launchpad for further collaboration, community outreach and bold policy decisions,” he said.

Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Premier’s Department (Project Coordination for Regional Development Agencies, DBKU and Islamic Affairs) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, MIS president Datuk Misnu Taha, Sarawak Islamic Religious Department director Mual Suaud and IKIM deputy director-general Mohd Zaidi Ismail.

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