Embrace digital skills for efficiency, Forest Department Sarawak staff told

MIRI (Jan 31): All staff of the Forest Department Sarawak have been urged to enhance their digital literacy, as such skills are crucial to improving efficiency, transparency and effectiveness in service delivery.

Sarawak Forest director Datu Hamden Mohammad said digitalisation should not be viewed as a slogan, but as a basic necessity for a modern organisation.

“I urge all officers of the Forest Department Sarawak, regardless of grade or position, to improve their digital literacy, be brave in learning new systems, not be afraid of change, and to view technology as a tool to ease our work, not as a threat to our roles,” he said in his address at the Northern Zone Aspirations Ceremony held at a hotel here on Thursday night.

He added that digitalisation within the department would include faster and more transparent licensing, permit and approval systems, as well as the use of technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), drones and remote sensing for forest monitoring.

It also involves the development of integrated data systems to support enforcement, planning and reporting.

These efforts, he added, would also reduce dependence on physical files and manual processes, while enabling decisions to be made based on real-time data.

However, Hamden stressed that technology would be meaningless if the workforce remained bound by old mindsets.

Touching on the department’s evolving role in the governance landscape, he said it was no longer a traditional agency focused solely on logging and forest licences.

“Instead, it has grown into a driver of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), a guardian of Sarawak’s ecological security and biodiversity, and a strategic partner in green economy and carbon development.

“The Forest Department is also a law enforcement agency facing increasingly complex challenges, a partner to rural communities, and a trustee for future generations,” he added.

With the expanding scope of responsibilities, Hamden questioned whether the department requires more manpower or a smarter approach to work, stressing that efficiency must take precedence over numbers, in line with the Sarawak State Secretary’s emphasis.

He also highlighted the importance of fostering a ‘one team’ culture within the department, noting that it cannot operate in silos.

According to him, divisions, regions, technical officers, support staff and management must work together as a cohesive unit.

He likened Forest Department Sarawak to a forest ecosystem, where every component plays a vital role, and the failure of one could affect the entire system.

Therefore, he said unity and cooperation must continue to be strengthened to ensure Sarawak’s forests are managed effectively and with integrity.