S’wak to adopt new technology to prevent forest destruction
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak is willing to invest more money in new technology with the objective to conserve and prevent its forests from destruction by illegal means.
He said the state was very serious and concerned in its efforts to protect the forests from destruction, making it necessary to adopt and use new technology to detect destruction and for replanting exercise.
“We have to look after and monitor our forests using new and available technology like using drones and through data centre, and that is why I upgrade our digital infrastructure to between 4G and 5G...I know that we have to invest huge amount of money, but we must do so to protect and conserve our forests for our future generation,” the chief minister said at the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) 15th anniversary dinner at Hilton Hotel on Tuesday.
He suggested that SFC have a ‘big data centre’ to be connected to all strategic areas of the forests in the state for monitoring purposes.
“If possible, SFC must have big data centre connected to all strategic areas of our forests to be able to see in real time those who fell our trees either by legal or illegal means,” he said, adding that the state government must remain focused to enrich the forests.
Gone were the days when timber extraction was an important sector for the state’s revenue and providing employment, he said.
“Previously forest was one important sector for our revenue so much so that when we just enjoyed Independence, politics was very much related to timber and that is what happens when timber is the only source of revenue, but today it has changed, we cannot rely on timber.
We cannot use our forest resources as a means to get revenue by cutting it.
“The world has changed, forest is an attraction to get people to come and spend their money and because of the mega forest reserve in our place, people throughout the world want to see forest and wildlife, we can device tax to become a revenue for us, instead of cutting trees,” he stressed, adding that it was a new policy altogether.
The chief minister further said the state was blessed with good climate and weather, making tree replanting using Internet of Things ( IoT) faster to sustain the timber industry without disturbing the primary forests.
He also said he had given special allocation of RM70 million for installation of reef balls along the state’s shoreline, stretching from Tanjung Datu in Sematan to Lawas to prevent encroachment by foreign fishing vessels, pointing out that such initiative was among the conservation efforts of the state government towards preserving its resources, at the same time helping local fishermen sustain their livelihood.
He thanked SFC for the significant contribution in looking after forest development and conservation, and the national parks in the state.
“SFC has shown to the world their conservation effort,” he said, citing the Semenggok Wildlife Centre for orangutan and Piasau Nature Reserve in Miri which is in the midst of the city, as a very successful effort.
Present were Assistant Minister of Urban Development, Land Administration and Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh and Forestry director Hamden Mohamad.
Among the programmes for the dinner were presentation of Sarawak Chief Minister’s Awards 2018 for Best Managed Totally Protected Area ( TPA) and Outstanding Honorary Wildlife Ranger, won by Similaju National Park and Ismail Ahmad respectively.
The Hornbill Adoption Programme was also launched during the function.