Sustainability must begin with awareness, community action, says S’wak deputy minister

MIRI (Feb 1): Environmental sustainability must begin with awareness, daily practice and strong community involvement, including in rural villages such as Bario.

In pointing this out, Deputy Minister in Sarawak Premier’s Department of Sarawak (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring)Datuk Gerawat Gala said this was crucial towards ensuring a healthy and liveable environment for future generations.

“Without awareness, there will be no action, and without action, there will be no change.

“The students present today are the future custodians of Bario, and what they learn and practise now will shape how they manage the environment in the future,” he said in officiating at the ‘Bario Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) Cross-Sectoral Programme 2026’ themed ‘Clean Generation, Sustainable Bario’, in Bario on Friday.

The Mulu assemblyman also stressed the importance of strengthening environmental education not only in classrooms, but also through daily habits such as waste segregation, reducing plastic use and maintaining cleanliness at schools and homes.

“Environmental protection involves preserving existing natural resources such as forests, rivers, clean air and fertile land, while conservation focuses on restoring damaged areas through measures such as tree planting, river clean-ups and pollution control.

“This awareness must also be nurtured within the community. When parents set a good example, the children will follow.

“When an entire village is committed to cleanliness, it becomes a culture. This is what we want,” he pointed out.

On sustainable development, Gerawat regarded the SDGs as not solely being the responsibility of governments or international bodies, as they should begin at the community level.

“When communities are involved in planning, they will help ensure rivers are protected, forests are not over-exploited, and water sources remain clean.”

He also encouraged communities to actively participate in initiatives such as communal clean-ups, tree-planting activities, recycling programmes and the responsible use of resources.

Gerawat also expressed appreciation to the Miri City Council (MCC) for the establishment of a more suitable, better-managed landfill site in Bario, which he said would help prevent soil and water pollution while improving waste management efficiency.

“The provision of an incinerator would allow certain types of waste to be disposed of more safely through controlled burning, reducing solid waste accumulation, provided the public disposed of waste responsibly.”

Also present at the event was Miri Deputy Mayor Ariffin Mohamad.