SFC Act amendments out to enhance legalities over management of Sarawak’s natural resources, says rep

THE proposed amendments to Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Act meant to refine, strengthen and enhance the legal framework governing the conservation and management of natural resources in Sarawak.

In stating this, Datuk Dennis Ngau (GPS-Telang Usan) said the amendments would ensure more effective governance, promote more sustainable development, and better safeguard the state’s natural heritage to future generations.

In this regard, he proposed to the Sarawak government to continuously provide funding for the maintenance and development of national parks, especially the maintenance of the facilities.

“Efficient and effective governance in SFC, with all its strategic plans, would maximise the effectiveness of its financial and human resources” he said when debating the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Adding on, Dennis also expressed hope that with better and more structured management of Sarawak’s national parks, the SFC would one day have a mechanism for self-funding.

“To me, the proposed amendments to the Act are timely to ensure that SFC can perform its role towards helping Sarawak government realise its aspiration to become a developed region under the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.”

He said the amendments meant to address critical issues in forestry and nature conservation such as overlapping responsibilities, organisational alignment and leadership structure, as well as to ensure the running of more effective governance and conservation efforts.

“By eliminating the overlapping functions between the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) and the SFC, for example, the amendments would clarify the roles and responsibilities of each entity; thus, reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies and enhancing coordination in conservation efforts.

“This streamlined approach allows the SFC to focus on its core mandates of managing natural resources within national parks and protecting wildlife throughout Sarawak, leading to more targeted and impactful conservation initiatives,” he said.