Sarawak Energy and the media dig in for the next chapter of forest restoration at wildlife sanctuary.
IN a joint effort for environmental conservation, Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB) and the media came together to plant trees at Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary in Lundu near Kuching.
About 70 participants, including 40 personnel from Sarawak-based media organisations, planted 600 indigenous trees in support of ongoing forest restoration and biodiversity conservation efforts in Sarawak.
Organised in collaboration with the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), the programme is part of SEB’s tree planting, protection and habitat restoration campaign from 2021 to 2030.
“We aim to plant 500,000 trees throughout Sarawak under this plan,” SEB group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili said.
“To date, we have planted more than 260,000 trees, including 12,700 in 2026.”
He said the programme was an opportunity for SEB to work alongside the media in support of conservation while strengthening their longstanding partnership.
Additionally, he said the tree planting reflected SEB’s commitment to sustainability.
“We have been very active in developing sustainability in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Sharbini said.
“If you look at the projects that we do, there’s always a green element. We are busy developing solar, we’ve been developing hydro since 1985, we’re looking at battery storage and pump storage.
“We want to make sure that whatever we do takes into account the environment and the people’s expectations, ensuring that we leave a future which is sustainable for our children and grandchildren.”
Seven indigenous tree species were planted during the programme at Samunsam – engkabang (Shorea sp.), pelajau (Pentaspadon motleyi), bintangor (Calophyllum sp.), ubah (Syzygium sp.), nyatoh tembaga (Palaquium leiocarpum), resak (Cotylelobium burckii) and dedap (Erythrina variegata).
This supports broader forest restoration efforts by enhancing ecological diversity and strengthening the long-term resilience of the forest landscape.
Moreover, as these trees mature, they actively fight climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
SEB’s tree planting collaboration with SFC began in 2022 at Sama Jaya Nature Reserve in Kuching. It has since expanded to selected totally protected areas in Sarawak, including Bukit Lima Nature Reserve in Sibu, Piasau Nature Reserve in Miri, Rajang Mangrove National Park in Sarikei and Samunsam Wildlife Sanctuary.
Gazetted in 1979, Samunsam is Sarawak’s first wildlife sanctuary, covering 22,798ha within the Gunung Pueh Reserve Forest in Lundu.
It is managed by SFC as a totally protected area.
SFC deputy general manager Madhan Kiflie said Samunsam is home to the proboscis monkey and other wildlife, including the bearded pig, hornbills and crocodiles.
It also has a unique ecosystem comprising mangrove, peat and dipterocarp forests, all of which serve as a natural carbon sink, wildlife habitat and coastal protection.
“Every effort to conserve and restore this area not only protects its biodiversity but contributes to environmental sustainability and the well-being of future generations,” Madhan said.
He added that the seven species planted during the programme are important food sources for wildlife and will help accelerate habitat recovery.
“Programmes such as this show how different sectors and communities can contribute together to meaningful conservation outcomes,” he said.
