Sarawak mindful of environment in pursue of economic progress - Adenan

Sarawak will not be reckless in pursuing its economic development to the extent of damaging its environment, said Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

"We do not want to be reckless towards our environment and will never be reckless in our aim to be a developed state by 2010," he said when launching an international environmental health conference, organised by the Health Inspector Union of Sarawak here today.

His text of speech was read out by his deputy, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu.

More than 500 participants and papers presenters, including those from outside the state are taking part in the two-day event.

"Our ultimate objective is to ensure that our environment is clean and sustainable for our economic development to be meaningful.

"That is why we have initiated a number of steps like an all-out-fight against illegal logging to prevent environmental damages and loss of income," he said.

He said the government had also put a freeze on new large scale plantation for oil palm to prevent the loss of more natural forest and would create more national parks and forest reserves instead.

"We encourage scientists to carry out researches in our forest and we are willing to open our door to NGOs that want to help us protect and preserve our environment," he added.

He said in the Kuching city itself, the government too had upgraded its solid waste management system into an integrated and modern one since 2000 for the benefits of its population of 600,000.

"We are also putting in place a RM2.5-billion centralised wastewater management system to collect and treat grey and black water before releasing into the environment," he said.

Adenan expressed the hope the state could collaborate with the International Federation of Environmental Health and the World Health Organisation for more better things to come for the state.