KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak will continue investing in research and development (R&D) to strengthen its scientific capabilities and commercialise its biodiversity wealth as a driver of the state's new economy.

Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg, said continuous investment in research is essential to enable Sarawak to explore its own biodiversity resources and produce high-value products that meet market needs.

"I will invest in research. I will reinvest the returns we generate back into research, and let us become a player in the new economy," he said.

He was speaking at the Foundation Laying and Exchange of Agreements Ceremony for the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park (SBP) here on Thursday.

According to Datuk Patinggi Abang Zohari, Sarawak's rich biodiversity, particularly forest resources and plants with medicinal potential, needs to be explored through a scientific approach before being translated into products that benefit society.

He said SBP would play an important role as a link between research conducted at the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) and industrial application and commercial production of products.

"Research can be carried out at SBC. From the results of that research, it must be applied to industrial products, and this park will become a place to focus the application of the technology we acquire," he said.

He said this approach would allow Sarawak's biodiversity resources to be given added value through science and technology, opening the way for the state to become a strategic bioeconomy hub in the region.

Meanwhile, the Sarawak Premier said artificial intelligence (AI) technology and DNA data could be harnessed as catalysts for biodiversity research, including in efforts to identify compounds with the potential to be developed into health products.

He said the growth of the global biotechnology industry also opens up wide opportunities for Sarawak to contribute to the sector by leveraging its natural resource advantages.

He added that Sarawak needs more scientists capable of conducting research on local plants and resources and producing solutions that meet the needs of society.

He said the development of scientific capacity is crucial as Sarawak transitions from a conventional economy to a new economy that is also being shaped by climate change.

Meanwhile, development of the SBP Main Hub, on a 100-acre site, is scheduled for completion within 24 months, with facilities including research laboratories, pilot-scale processing facilities, collaboration spaces, and manufacturing support compliant with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

The facilities will help bridge the gap between scientific discovery and market readiness, including enabling researchers, start-ups, and industry players to test technology, scale up production, and meet regulatory requirements.

The ceremony also saw the exchange of eight cooperation agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between BioVerde Technologies Sdn Bhd and corporate players in the fields of pharmaceuticals, waste bioconversion, functional foods, cell and gene therapy, regenerative medicine, sago-based products, and certification and technical support services.

Also present were Sarawak Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Professor Dr Sim Kui Hian, Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Deputy Speaker of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly, Dato Idris Buang, and other distinguished guests. -UKASnews

Prepared by: Lonney Jinab
Photos: Natalie Cherinie Johnny & Ibanez Jeffery Guang
Translator: Uilson Ng