Regional co-operation in cross-border forestry

KUCHING, 27 Oct: Regional cooperation needs to be strengthened to address the cross-border riots that have affected Sarawak in recent months.

Deputy Prime Minister of Sarawak, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the issue requires a joint approach between the countries involved to develop effective strategies to address the problem from the root.

According to him, the effects of dust are not limited to areas where pollution occurs, but can spread across national borders depending on wind movement.

"We've had a lot of dust in the last few months. This condition is largely due to cross-border dust. So to address this problem, we need to tackle it right from the root", he said.

He said this while speaking on behalf of the Sarawak Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at the Environmental Education Conference 2026 (EEC 2026) taking place in a prominent hotel here today.

Meanwhile, Awang Central stressed that environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity resource degradation and the environment require cooperation, knowledge sharing and collective action.

He said strong cooperation is essential to enable countries to engage in formulating approaches and strategies for addressing environmental challenges especially those involving cross-border.

In this regard, Awang Central hopes that efforts to strengthen regional cooperation can be continued in ensuring any environmental issues including dust can be effectively addressed, thereby reducing its impact on affected areas.