Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Amendment) Bill 2025 passed unanimously

THE Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed by the august House, ensuring effective, sustainable, and economically viable biodiversity governance in Sarawak.

Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn who introduced the Bill said provisions were introduced to realise commercialisation of Sarawak’s biological resources and SBC Research and Development (R&D), as well as uniformity with national law and harmonisation with international protocols.

He said the amendment ensures stronger commercialisation mechanisms through SBC, uniformity with national laws and harmonisation with international protocols, and reinforcing Sarawak’s leadership in biodiversity governance.

“By strengthening the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre Ordinance, this Bill empowers Sarawak to harness its rich biological resources, ensuring scientific progress translates into economic benefits through commercial ventures.

“This Amendment introduces a new definition of ‘microorganism’ to include viruses, viroids, and sterile organisms and revised definition of ‘Minister’ to reflect the Minister responsible for the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre.



“It will also introduce the inclusion of ‘native’ to have the same meaning assigned to it under the Interpretation Ordinance, 2005 [Cap.61],” he said when tabling the Bill during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today (May 20).

Sagah said the existing Biodiversity Centre Fund is also expanded to include monetary benefits obtained from a benefit sharing agreement.

He said the Bill also provides for increased penalties for offences committed under the Ordinance.

He said the amendment to Section 22, increases the penalty for the collection or removal of any protected resources from their habitat for research and development purposes without a permit from the Council.

“Individual offenders may now face a fine of not less than fifty thousand ringgit and not exceeding five hundred thousand ringgit, or imprisonment for a term of not less than two years and not exceeding ten years, or both.

“In the case of a body corporate, a fine of not less than one million ringgit and not exceeding five million ringgit,” he added.

A total of 10 assemblymen participated in the debate for the Bill namely, Murum, Telian, Kota Sentosa, Tamin, Meluan, Lingga, Bawang Assan, Tebedu, Ba’kelalan, and Batu Kitang.