KUCHING: Sarawak continues to maintain approximately 7.64 million hectares of forest cover—representing 62 percent of the state's total land area—making it the state with the largest forested area in Malaysia.

Sarawak Deputy Premier and Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this achievement reflects the Sarawak Government's ongoing commitment to balancing economic development with environmental conservation.

According to him, approximately 1.54 million hectares of natural forest and forest plantations in Sarawak have also achieved forest management certification as part of measures to ensure sustainable forest resource management.

“The Sarawak Government takes all matters raised regarding the forestry sector, Totally Protected Areas, the timber industry, and environmental conservation seriously.

“Through the Forest Department Sarawak and related agencies, the government will continue to strengthen sustainable forest management grounded in science and technology,” he said.

He said this when delivering his ministerial winding-up speech at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting here on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah informed that the Sarawak Government, through the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), gazetted five new terrestrial areas as Totally Protected Areas (TPAs) throughout 2026, spanning an area of 4,484.75 hectares.

This latest gazettement increases Sarawak's total terrestrial TPAs to 879,478.28 hectares.

He clarified that these continuous conservation efforts support Malaysia's national commitment to maintaining at least 50 percent forest cover in line with the 1992 Rio Earth Summit Declaration. — UKASnews

Prepared by: Eisner Nala
Photos: Hazrin Sunaini
Translator: Ryan Lim