LAWAS: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS) has officially handed over the LINAWA community enterprise brand to Koperasi Usahasama Long Sukang Lawas Bhd, marking the completion of its five-year ‘Towards Uplifting Lives’ Programme (TULiP) and the cooperative’s full stewardship of the brand.
The handover, held on July 18, signifies the cooperative’s readiness to independently manage and expand the LINAWA brand, which was established to increase the value of locally produced Adan rice and Arabica coffee while creating sustainable income opportunities for the Lun Bawang community in the highlands of Lawas.
PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (Sarawak Assets) senior general manager Shalby Reduan said the milestone reflects the programme’s emphasis on building local capabilities and laying a strong foundation for long-term, community-led economic growth.
“Through TULiP, our focus has been on equipping communities with the right training, entrepreneurial exposure and technical capabilities, enabling them to independently drive and sustain their own economic progress.
“With LINAWA now under the full stewardship of the cooperative, PETRONAS is confident the Lun Bawang community will continue building on the strong foundation established over the past five years and take the brand to even greater heights,” he said during the handover ceremony.
Implemented since 2021, TULiP is a collaborative initiative led by PETRONAS, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS’ Institute of Smart and Sustainable Living (ISSL) and Yayasan Hasanah, with support from the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Peduli Insan and Koperasi Usahasama Long Sukang Lawas Berhad.
The programme was introduced to strengthen rural livelihoods through entrepreneurship, capacity building and sustainable community enterprise development.
Over the past five years, PETRONAS and its partners have supported the Lun Bawang community in developing the LINAWA brand through entrepreneurship training, product innovation, capability enhancement and improved market access.
The initiative has enabled Koperasi Usahasama Long Sukang Lawas Berhad to evolve into a structured organisation with 30 members.
The cooperative now operates a dedicated processing facility for collecting, roasting, packaging and commercialising locally grown Arabica coffee.
According to PETRONAS, the programme has also contributed to a tenfold increase in coffee cultivation since its inception, reflecting greater participation among local farmers and supporting the growth of highland agriculture as a sustainable source of income.
PETRONAS said it remains committed to creating positive social impact through strategic partnerships that empower communities, strengthen resilience and promote long-term socio-economic sustainability.
