KOTA SAMARAHAN: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg has approved RM5mil state’s allocation to Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (Tropi) in appreciation of its success in turning Sarawak’s peat land into productive agricultural areas.
He also pointed out that Tropi’s research had made planting oil palm on peat land into a viable economic entity. He made the announcement when he officiated at the Sarawak Tropi 10th Anniversary and Appreciation Nite at the Grand Ballroom of Stropi at Samarahan on Wednesday. “The RM5mil requested by Tropi director Dr Lulie Melling in her speech is not a problem for me to approve as far as it concerns commodities that have commercial values.
“However, I would like to propose by having this funding from the State Government, Tropi will compile their research and findings into a book which can be distributed throughout the nation and globally.
“Tropi needs to do a lot of scientific research on palm oil which are planted on peat land and the State Government will surely give you the fund,” he said. Meanwhile, Johari also congratulated Tropi for the hard work and achievements all these years that had helped turned vast tracts of Sarawak’s peat land into productive agricultural areas and put Sarawak on the world map of peat land management.
“Research on peat soil has shown us how we can turn large tracts of land that is quite useless to the economy into a big industry.
I believe we can do the same in other sectors, in particular the dwindling timber industry. “Our neighbouring country like Indonesia has recognised that Sarawak through Tropi has also played a crucial role in ensuring higher production of oil palm on tropical peat land, “I must commend Dr Lulie and her team’s unwavering attempt in working towards the betterment of our people and agricultural science.
“The result of Tropi’s work and its benefit has extended beyond Sarawak borders which all of us should be proud of. “I am also happy to learn that Dr Lulie has been personally given due recognition for her academic acumen by being elected a member of the Executive Board of the International Peat Society (IPS), making her the first from Asia to hold a post in the esteem professional society,” he said.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong and State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani.
