Awang Tengah: Sarawak needs increased funding to study mineral resources

KUCHING (July 3): Sarawak needs greater financial allocation from the federal government to carry out a study on mineral resources, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

“(This is also to) complete geological mapping in Sarawak,” he said in a press release issued by his office today.

According to the press release, this point was emphasised by the Sarawak government at the National Mineral Council (MMN), chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof at the Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Awang Tengah represented Sarawak government at the meeting, where Sarawak Attorney General Datu Saferi Ali was also present.

It has been previously reported in the media that a study by the Minerals and Geoscience Department, which covered 32 per cent of Sarawak’s 12.4 million hectares of land, found valuable minerals estimated to be worth RM1.25 trillion.

Meanwhile, among the issues discussed at the National Mineral Council meeting was the 3rd National Mineral Policy framework prepared by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.

It is an improvement to the 2nd National Mineral Policy introduced since 2009.

“The Sarawak government will review and adjust policies regarding the implementation of the Post-Covid 2030 Development Strategy,” said Awang Tengah.