Sarawak aims to plant 50 million trees under Malaysia's Greening 2.0 Program

KUCHING, 15 September: Sarawak sets a new target of planting 50 million trees under the Malaysia Green Program 2.0 for the period 2026 to 2030 in an effort to strengthen forest landscape restoration and continuously preserve the state environment.

Deputy Prime Minister of Sarawak Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the new target setting was made following the successful implementation of the previous tree planting phase that exceeded the set benchmark.

"I am delighted to see the target of planting 35 million trees for the period 2021 to 2025 has been successfully met.

"This momentum must be continued through the new target of planting 50 million trees under the Malaysia Green Program 2.0 for the period 2026 to 2030", he said at the Sarawak Forest Department Emergency Service Awards 2025 and Award Winners Awards 2026 here, on Tuesday.

Awang Tengah who is also the Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development II said that forest management today can no longer be seen solely from the perspective of wood production alone.

"Forests play a much broader role in our lives, as a treasure trove of biodiversity, carbon deposits, wetlands, community economic resources and natural fortresses in the face of climate change.

"That is why the Government of Sarawak has always emphasized a balance between economic development and environmental protection.

"We want development that brings prosperity to the people, but at the same time ensures that Sarawak's natural resources continue to be preserved for future generations", he said.

Commenting further, he explained that various green landscape conservation and restoration efforts by the Sarawak Forest Department are moving in line with state development aspirations.

"This effort is also in line with the aspirations of Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), especially in efforts to build a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient Sarawak economy", he explained.