Pundit: Sarawak’s water could be worth more than oil, gold by 2075

Dato Peter Minos

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Oct 12: Sarawak’s ambitions to advance its artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem and attract more data centre investments must go hand in hand with the protection of its freshwater resources, says Dato Peter Minos.

In a recent statement, he highlighted the importance of water not only for human survival but also as a resource supporting electricity generation, industrial development and emerging data-driven industries.

“With our many rivers and plenty of rain throughout the year, we are in a favourable position to harness our water resources for long-term economic growth.

“The latest reports indicate that a substantial amount of water will be needed for our future data centres. Sarawak needs these data centres to advance further into AI and new data-based industries. Water is the lifeline of these industries,” he said.

He also highlighted the role of hydropower in supporting industrial expansion, noting that Sarawak’s dams generate electricity that can be supplied to industries and exported to generate revenue.

Beyond its economic potential, Minos stressed the need to preserve the State’s rivers to safeguard clean water supplies and sustain the livelihoods of communities living along them.

He called for efforts to clean up major rivers, including Batang Samarahan, Batang Sadong, Kemena, Rajang, Baram and Limbang, while advocating reduced logging to help restore river ecosystems.

“If we stop logging and allow our rivers to recover, the water will become clean again, the fish will return and our people living along the rivers will be happier.

“Freshwater could one day become more valuable than oil and gold. By 2075, Sarawak could be very wealthy because of its abundant supply of fresh, clean water.

“Other parts of the world may have to import water to meet their needs, just as they import oil today,” he said.

However, his predictions about future global water demand and the potential for large-scale freshwater exports would require further assessment.

He said Sarawak’s long-term prosperity would depend partly on how effectively it managed and protected its rivers amid continued industrial development. —DayakDaily