SMK Methodist teacher Wong Lin Chieh (fourth from left) receiving the prize from Tiang. — Courtesy photo
THE Central Zone School recycling campaign saw 71 schools in Sarawak collect a total of 203,572kg of recyclables.
These schools, from six local authorities, comprised 54 primary and 17 secondary.
The number of participating schools reflected an increase of 73% compared to 2024’s 41 schools.
The number of participating students was 27,620.
The local authorities involved were Sibu Municipal Council, Sarikei District Council, Sibu Rural District Council, Dalat and Mukah District Council, Matu-Daro District Council, and Meradong and Julau District Council.
“This achievement reflects the enthusiasm, commitment and teamwork of both our children and teenagers,” said Sarawak Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
“It also shows that environmental awareness can begin early in life and continue as students grow older.”
Sim’s speech was read by his deputy Datuk Michael Tiang at the campaign’s prize-giving ceremony.
He added that one of the key pillars of Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 was environmental sustainability that emphasised the need for responsible waste management, circular economy principles, and a culture of shared environmental responsibility.
“The school recycling campaign is a practical reflection of these ambitions.
“Every kilogramme of recyclables collected, every student who learns to separate waste responsibly and every household influenced by a child’s environmental awareness brings us one step closer to the vision of PCDS 2030,” said Sim.
He called the students ambassadors of good waste practices, instilling 3R values at home and motivating their families to adopt more responsible habits.
Sim also called on other local councils to participate in the campaign in the coming years so that “we can continue expanding the 3R spirit throughout the rural areas”.
SMK Methodist, Sibu, emerged overall champion in the secondary school category, with every student collecting 7.8kg of recyclables. The primary school category winner was SJK(C) Su Tak, Sarikei.
Winners in other categories are SJK(C) Su Tak and SMK Methodist for most aluminium material collected, SJK(C) Dung Sang, Sibu, and SMK Kampung Nangka, Sibu (most plastic material collected), SJK(C) Thai Kwang, Sibu, and SMK St Elizabeth (most drink cans collected) and SJK(C) Chung Hien and SMK Methodist (most e-waste collected).
