LAWAS, Aug 25 2026: Deputy Premier Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has asked the community leaders and and village headmen to be the eyes and ears of the government to help detect early any development activity that has the potential to affect the environment in Lawas district.
He said their involvement, together with the local communities, is crucial to ensuring that rapid development in the district can be executed in a balanced manner without neglecting environmental sustainability.
“The environment is not the sole responsibility of the government; it is a shared responsibility of the entire community.
“The community leaders and village headmen hold a very important position as a bridge between the community and government agencies,” he said.
He was speaking at a seminar on Empowering Community Leaders and Village Headmen in Environmental Care Towards Sustainable Development of Lawas District 2026 today.
According to him, development should not be evaluated solely based on economic growth and physical development, but must instead take into account its effects on the environment and community wellbeing.
He noted that they can assist by relaying information regarding issues such as open burning, river pollution, illegal dumping, and encroachment on sensitive areas to relevant agencies for further action.
He also emphasised the need to shift the environmental care approach from reactive measures after an issue occurs to continuous monitoring and prevention.
At the same time, Controller of Environmental Quality Jack Liam stated that a total of 34 development projects in Lawas are currently being monitored by the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) to ensure compliance with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval conditions.
These projects comprise 13 infrastructure projects, six real estate projects, one forestry project, 10 agricultural projects, as well as four quarry and mining projects.
“NREB officers cannot be on the ground every single day.
“Therefore, the cooperation of KMKK and the local community is greatly needed to channel information and input regarding development activities in their respective areas,” he said.
He noted that collaboration among NREB, community leaders and local communities will help reinforce environmental monitoring and enforcement, particularly as Lawas continues to grow with various development projects.
At the same event, a total of 193 compensation cheques and 63 land title letters were presented to recipients involved in the Northern Coastal Highway (NCH) project and the Sarawak-Sabah Link Road (SSLR) alignment.
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