SARAWAK’S determination to transform its economy into a sustainable and circular model was evident when its city councils, a department and a secondary school were recognised for their leaderships at the recent Second Green and Geopark Excellence Awards (GAGA 2026) hosted by the state.
Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian singled out that sustainability was one of the three pillars in reviving the economy following the lean years due to the pandemic.
Besides sustainability, the state also places great importance on prosperity and social inclusivity policies.
Leading the way, was the state forest department who was instrumental in gaining the UNESCO global geopark status for the Sarawak Delta.
Covering both inland and coastal areas of Malaysia’s biggest state, the delta area encompasses 3,112 sq km in western Sarawak
It spans across the state capital of Kuching to Bau, Padawan and Siburan with strong ecosystems for sustainability and becoming one with mother nature instead of just logging in the forest area.
The department’s director Datuk Hamden Mohammad was honoured for his leadership in advancing Sarawak’s first UNESCO global geopark.
He was bestowed the leadership award at GAGA 2026 in Kuching while the department won four awards at last year’s GAGA held in Langkawi.
The UNESCO recognition for leadership was given for sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation and the protection of Sarawak’s natural heritage under Hamden’s watch.
Sarawak Delta was the fourth site in Malaysia to attain the global geopark status after Langkawi (Kedah), Kinabalu (Sabah) and Lenggong (Perak).
Reflecting on his GAGA 2026 recognition, Hamden described the award as a personal achievement given Sarawak is trying to pivot from its reliance on logging activities.
Instead, the state is now entering the phase of re-growing its huge hardwood species and offering eco-tourism products within the enclave of the Sarawak Delta.
“The Sarawak Delta Geopark journey has been close to my heart and I feel privileged to have played a part in this collective effort,” enthused Hamden.
The department has strengthened sustainable forest management through certification, timber legality and traceability while adopting Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote monitoring and other digital technologies to improve forest surveillance.
This translates to prevent illegal logging and regrowing of trees.
By end-2023, 24 natural forest management units covering approximately 1.94 million hectares and seven forest plantation management units covering nearly 98,000 hectares had obtained certification under the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS).
The department has also expanded its focus to forest carbon management, recognising the value of forests not only for timber production but also for carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection and climate resilience.
Cultivating environmental love from young
Meanwhile, 512km away is the SMK Lutong secondary school in Miri which won the GAGA 2026 green school award for nurturing young environmental champions
With nearly 700,000 aluminium cans collected over close to a decade, the Miri school demonstrates how recycling initiatives can inspire lasting change beyond the classroom.
Accepting the award on behalf of the school, principal Wong Kung Kui explained that at the heart of its achievements is the “1 Student, 1 Can, 1 Week” campaign which collected an impressive 690,324 aluminium cans between 2017 and December 2025 through consistent student participation.
The initiative forms part of SMK Lutong’s “LUGOSS Go Green School” programme which was introduced in 2017 to make sustainability part of everyday school life.
The school, according to Wong, introduced a merit points system, annual cash prizes for the classes collecting the most recyclables and an Environmental Icon Award to sustain participation of its pupils.
Pupils earned merit points for bringing more than five aluminium cans or plastic bottles or more than 500 ml of used cooking oil.
These incentives helped overcome the initial challenge of maintaining enthusiasm throughout the year.
“What began as a school-based campaign has evolved into a genuine lifestyle change for many of our students,” observed Wong.
Both the Kuching North and South city councils also garnered awards for their role in promoting green.
Kuching North Lord Mayor and city council president Datuk Hilmy Othman won a leadership award while the council under his tutelage won four other awards while Kuching South gained recognition for winning the most awards at six.
Kuching South Lord Mayor Datuk Wee Hong Seng also received a citation for his leadership in green excellence while his council won five other awards. - Focus Malaysia
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