KUCHING:The Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) on Tuesday passed the Sustainable Resources and Wastes Management Bill, 2025, a key milestone towards strengthening the Sarawak’s environmental governance and advancing its circular economy ambitions.

In presenting the Bill, the Deputy Premier highlighted Sarawak’s vast biomass resources, from palm oil residues and woody biomass to sago and municipal wastes, which offer significant potential for clean energy generation and value-added industries.

Under the Sarawak Energy Transition Policy (SET-P), he said bioenergy is expected to contribute meaningfully to the State’s energy mix by 2035.

He noted that the palm oil industry alone generates large volumes of empty fruit bunches (EFB), palm oil mill effluent (POME) and palm kernel shell (PKS) each year, all of which can be converted into various forms of energy and other bio/based products.

“Sarawak is also exploring biomass co-firing at existing power plants and the viability of converting municipal solid waste into energy,” he added.

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah stressed that although the resources are abundant, utilisation remains limited due to regulatory and logistical challenges.

Hence, he said the new Bill seeks to bridge this gap by establishing the Sustainable Resources and Wastes Management Authority, tasked with proper and efficient utilisation and management of resources and wastes, promoting further green investment, coordinating policy implementation, and enforcing compliance.

“The Bill also empowers the Authority to provide for incentives to encourage greater private sector participation, alongside clear provisions on offences and penalties to ensure the proper and accountable management of sustainable resources and wastes.

“The enactment of this Bill strengthens Sarawak’s ability to manage its resources responsibly while opening new economic opportunities for the people,” Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said. -UKASnews

Source Credit: Office of the Deputy Premier of Sarawak