KUCHING: Sarawak is poised to become the regional hub for sustainability action next year, with plans to host two major environmental initiatives that will engage millions across Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
The state will spearhead a ground-breaking 2-in-1 Integrated CSR & ESG Impact programme combining the ASEAN Earth Cleanup Week in April and World Cleanup Day Malaysia in September 2026.
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak is leading the charge alongside UiTM Headquarters, working with international partners, including World Cleanup Day (Let’s Do It World), EarthDay.org, and Digiland Pte Ltd.
Officials describe it as one of the most ambitious community-driven sustainability projects ever mounted in the region.
From April 21 to 26, the ASEAN Earth Cleanup Week will bring together all 11 ASEAN member states: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Timor-Leste alongside partners from Japan, South Korea and China.
The programme will feature high-level forums, workshops, cleanup operations, tree-planting drives, ESG showcases and grassroots activities.
Participants will include government agencies, universities, non-governmental organisations, corporations, youth groups and local communities.
Priority themes include volunteerism and zero-waste practices, green and blue circular economy development, poverty management and Universal Basic Income discussions, climate action frameworks, digitalisation through artificial intelligence, and ESG investment strategies.
A standout element is the deployment of real-time ESG dashboards providing round-the-clock performance indicators, allowing transparent and measurable tracking of environmental and social impact in line with United Nations benchmarks.
By hosting this event, Sarawak aims to position itself as a model for sustainable, people-centred development in the region thus demonstrating its commitment to translating environmental pledges into concrete action.
Unlike typical one-time volunteer campaigns, this initiative takes a comprehensive approach by linking environmental action with skills training, employment generation, business development and long-term economic stability.
The framework addresses contemporary challenges including rising cost of living, job displacement, automation and global economic volatility.
Programme architects drew lessons from the Malaysia Penang Earth Cleanup held in April 2024, expanding it into a more rigorous, accountable and financially viable model.
Beyond raising awareness, organisers aim to produce reliable environmental data supporting Malaysia’s obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement while showcasing innovative governance practices.
The momentum continues on September 19 with World Cleanup Day Malaysia 2026, which will coordinate cleanup and tree-planting activities across all 13 states through UiTM’s network of 34 campuses.
World Cleanup Day appears on the United Nations Calendar while Earth Day is observed annually on April 22 in more than 193 countries, highlighting the global importance of Malaysia’s engagement.
Organisers emphasise that the initiative serves as a collective platform rather than a single entity undertaking. It welcomes participation from governments, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), businesses, civil society, young people, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and animal welfare advocates to jointly develop solutions and build partnerships.
Through these twin initiatives, Sarawak and Malaysia seek to demonstrate how grassroots mobilisation, ESG principles and data transparency can converge to create a cleaner, more sustainable and inclusive future for the region.
