OGOS 2024
Sarawak Premier Calls For Sustainable Waste Management Solutions
KUCHING 1 Aug – Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, emphasized the urgent need for advanced waste management infrastructure.
Speaking at the 36th-anniversary celebration of Kuching City at MBKS Square, he highlighted the importance of aligning waste management practices with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"To manage this waste, whether you like it or not, you have to spend and build the right infrastructure. It is crucial to minimize waste and pollution, and we must manage it based on SDGs, long-term policies are essential for the benefit of all our cities,” he stated.
He revealed that the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) has been instructed to explore effective waste management strategies.
"Landfills are no longer a solution. They accumulate waste underground, produce gases, and disrupt soil quality," he noted.
Premier Abang Johari proposed the potential adoption of incineration technology to convert waste into energy.
"This requires significant investment, but I have suggested zoning Sarawak for waste management to ensure economic scalability," he explained.
The proposal includes dividing Sarawak into zones, with one high-tech incinerator serving the Kuching to Betong region and another for the area from Sibu to Limbang.
"Given our population of just three million, the volume of waste can be managed effectively with two incinerators. This technology can transform waste into raw materials for other products and generate energy for economic activities,” he said.
He assured that the initial investment would be handled by the GPS government. "Once we manage our waste efficiently, Sarawak will become an environmentally friendly and progressive state," he concluded.
As Kuching celebrates its 36th anniversary as a city, the focus remains on maintaining cleanliness and sustainability for future generations.
Also present were Deputy Premier of Sarawak Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Minister of Utilities and Telecommunications Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Deputy Minister in the Premier of Sarawak’s Department (Law, MA63, and Federal-State Relations), Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Syeed Aman Ghazali, Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability of Sarawak Datuk Dr. Hazland Abang Hipni, Mayor of Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) Hilmi Othman and Mayor of Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Datuk Wee Hong Seng.