Dalat’s wealth of sago palm has untapped potential for green energy, says Premier

DALAT (Nov 29): The abundance of sago palm in Sarawak, especially in Dalat, offers unexpected potential for green energy, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said during processing, the sago plant releases gases including methane, which contains hydrogen.

“The methane can be split into carbon and hydrogen, with hydrogen becoming a clean energy source even for powering boats,” he said during the launching ceremony of the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (Centexs) Dalat campus.

He believed this would be another step in Sarawak’s push towards a green and technology-driven economy, especially since it was the first state in Malaysia to introduce the Sustainable Resources and Waste Management Bill 2025.

He recalled that when he first introduced the idea of hydrogen years ago, especially for powering the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) system, many doubted him.

“People laughed when I talked about hydrogen back then. They asked if I was serious about moving ART using hydrogen but this is the new way forward,” he said.

Abang Johari also highlighted the state’s advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), such as its own AI system DEEPSAR which is capable of instant translations between local and international languages.

“We can now translate Mandarin to Melanau, English to Iban automatically. Such technology will greatly benefit the tourism sector, so visitors can just download an app for real-time translation,” he said.

The premier also emphasised the importance of nurturing young talent, and said that in the Sarawak Budget 2026, the government allocated RM665 million for education and talent development.

Also present at the event were State Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah; Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki; Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib; State Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee; Centexs chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani; Mukah Resident Datu Kueh Lei Poh; Yayasan Sarawak director Datu Mohamad Junaidi Mohidin; and Centexs chief executive officer Datuk Syed Husin Wan Abdul Rahman.