Abang Johari dots the second eye of a Daruma doll as (from left) van Aswegen, du Preez, and Abu Bakar look on. – Ukas photo
BINTULU (March 6): The Sarawak government is keen to explore the possibility of strategic cooperation with Sakura Ferroalloys Sdn Bhd (Sakura).
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sakura could work closely with the state in venturing into new production of environmentally-friendly products.
“I’ve just noticed that Sakura is sort of studying the possibility of turning waste into new products, I’ve just written it down, one is your slag, it’s one of the components that can be used in construction including roads, so perhaps we can come together to produce this slag from your waste,” he said.
Abang Johari said he was also intrigued by the idea of producing bio-ethanol from bamboo.
“I think this is actually a new product because of the energy transition, because bamboo is renewable, which means your bio-ethanol will be renewable.
“Once you are in the renewable category because of what is happening in the world today, your price will be prime.
“I wish Sakura all the best, we can still grow bamboo here, we don’t mind if you work with the BDA (Bintulu Development Authority) and we allocate an area for you to plant bamboo not only for furniture but for your bio-ethanol,” he said during Sakura’s 10th anniversary dinner here last night.
He said bio-ethanol could also be used to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“The Sarawak government is now exploring the idea of producing SAF from our algae, if you have that, we can work together to supply aviation fuel to all the airlines,” he said.
He said the supply of SAF is only about 1 per cent and airlines wish to increase this.
“If that is the case, the market is there, even though Neste is currently producing SAF from used cooking oil and in Singapore they are using used cooking oil.
“But in Sarawak, we have the potential because we have enough rain, where the bamboo can grow, maybe the leaf will be green, so Sakura will produce green bamboo that meets the international standard of green products,” he suggested.
He also touched on Sakura’s idea of producing liquid ammonia fertiliser.
“We are going to produce a lot of rice, maybe we need the fertiliser from here, so everything is supplied domestically and you can also produce other products,” he said.
Abang Johari said industries need energy and the Sarawak government is focusing on renewable energy.
“We are enhancing our hydropower but we are changing the way we produce hydropower not based on the big reservoirs but based on our river water.
“God is so kind to us, we have lots of rivers, we transform and produce hydro from our rivers without affecting the environment; we don’t have to resettle people, we don’t have to submerge the land mass, but natural water flows in the river, we just construct artificial waterfalls that will turn the turbined and produce electricity,” he said.
He also said Sarawak has a potential to generate 20 gigawatts of hydroelectric power and is now shifting to environmentally friendly hydroelectric power generation.
“Just like bamboo, we can replant forests with fast-growing trees such as paulownia or acacia, which can be turned into wood pellets, biomass as a source of feedstock for power generation.
“In Sarawak, we have 62 per cent forest cover, the area that has been logged can be replanted with new trees, new leaves, new oxygen; it is renewable and sustainable and will be another source of green power besides solar power,” he said.
Among those present were State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Sakura chairman Tiaan van Aswegen, Bintulu Resident Nyurak Keti, Bintulu Development Authority deputy chairman Datuk Haidar Khan Asghar Khan, BDA general manager Datu Muhamad Yakup Kari, and Sakura general manager Juan du Preez.