KUCHING: Local communities will benefit should Parliament pass the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) bill.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the final draft of the bill, which aimed to safeguard biological resources and traditional knowledge, as well as ensure benefit-sharing, has been submitted to the Attorney-General’s office.
He said the bill would regulate the use of biological resources, address issues of bio-piracy and ensure that resulting benefits are shared equitably.
“The bill is very detailed and forward-looking, protecting the rights of the local communities who provide traditional knowledge on how to use the plants for both health and medicinal purposes,” he said at the earth-breaking ceremony for the Batang Kayan waterfront in Lundu yesterday.
“The royalties would be given to the local communities for the knowledge on the uses of the plant.”
He said the bill, if passed and regulated, would be a realisation of the national agenda to generate wealth from biodiversity resources.
Wan Junaidi said the bill is in line with the country’s obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is an international agreement on the restoration of various biodiversity resources.
Malaysia has been a signatory to the convention since 1992.
At a press conference later, he said Sarawak’s communities would gain a lot from the bill as the state has huge potential in wealth creation through sustainable use of its rich biodiversity.
He said the bill would also enable various stakeholders in the state such as state agencies, non-governmental organisations, indigenous communities, and the private sector to exploit bio-activities and knowledge.