KUCHING: Environmental sustainability education among the younger generation needs to be strengthened as a medium for the formation of values, discipline and social responsibility in line with Sarawak's sustainable development aspirations.

Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian said that school involvement in the recycling programme is not just a waste management effort, but rather a platform to educate students to understand the relationship between the environment, public health and the future of the state.

According to him, the increase in school participation from 90 last year to 139 schools this year proves the increasingly positive level of awareness among students, teachers and parents.

"The total collection of recyclable materials of 484,792 kilogrammes, an increase of 43 percent compared to the previous year, reflects a very encouraging change in mindset and behavior," he said.

He said this when officiating the Prize Presentation Ceremony of the Southern Zone School Level Recycling Competition 2025 at the Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, here on Friday.

Datuk Amar Dr. Sim stressed that early exposure to the 3R practices and the 6R and 8R concepts can form a generation that is more disciplined, knowledgeable and environmentally responsible, thus reducing the cost of waste disposal which currently reaches more than 839,000 tonnes per year in Sarawak.

Commenting further, he said the approval of the Sarawak Sustainable Resources and Waste Management Bill 2025 also opens up opportunities for innovation and new economic generation through waste, including palm oil biomass.

Touching on the development of the Sarawak Archives worth more than RM200 million which is expected to be fully completed next year, he said it is a symbol of the state government's commitment to preserving Sarawak's knowledge, history and identity for future generations.- UKASnews

Translator: Ryan Lim