Launching of the NREB website on its 8th Anniversary

The Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud emphasized on the importance of everybody's cooperation to mitigate negative impact of industrialisation, as he delivered his keynote address at the presentation ceremony of the Chief Minister's Environmental Award cum 8th anniversary celebration of the National Resources Environmental Board (NREB) held in Kuching recently.

He said that educational efforts to raise environmental awareness must be intensified to ensure that all Sarawakians understood their individual roles in conserving the environment. "You cannot protect the environment unless you get the people involved" he stressed.

He added that "Sustainable management should be the cornerstone of efforts to protect the State's natural resources... we want to ensure that the younger generation inherit a beautiful environment together with the prosperity that we are going to hand to them". According to him, it was the State government's aim to create a formula where development and conservation could be simultaneously implemented for the benefit of the people. The formation of the NREB in 1994 is part of such aim.

Since its formation, the NREB has carried out many environmental educational and awareness programmes for the various sectors in the community. To further enhance these results, the NREB in collaboration with the Sarawak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and other government agencies introduced the Sarawak Chief Minister's Environmental Award in 1991.

Considered as the premier private sector environmental award for business and industry in Sarawak, the CM's award aims, among others, to stimulate business and industry initiatives in assuming a proactive role in environmental protection. The award also aims to recognise the achievements of exemplary participating organisations for the others to emulate. This year's award ceremony saw Sarawak Shell Berhad garnering the over-all winner's trophy.