KUCHING: The Sarawak Government is planning to make use of the area surrounding the Baleh Dam to create a natural habitat capable of supporting the production of empurau fish, thereby expanding the market for this premium fish species in the future.

Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, said the effort would be carried out through the planting of trees that produce a natural food source for empurau fish in the area surrounding the dam.

"In Kapit, we have the Baleh Dam. Along the river near Baleh, we want to plant trees that produce food for empurau.

"So we can create natural conditions for empurau and we can expand the market for empurau," he said.

According to Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari, this effort is among the steps that can be implemented to make use of Sarawak's natural resources to generate higher economic value.

He further said that empurau, known as one of the most valuable freshwater fish in Sarawak, has great potential to be marketed to the premium segment, thereby contributing to the state's economic growth.

He also stressed that Sarawak is not only focusing on the development of the energy and infrastructure sectors, but is also continuing to strengthen its food security agenda as well as the production of local produce with high commercial value. -UKASnews

Prepared by : Nur Nabilla
Photographer : Ibanez Jeffery Guang
Translator : Uilson Ng