SANDAKAN – Sabah is formulating its own policy to regulate oil palm biomass with the state having an abundant supply of biomass organic material for the purpose.
State Industrial Development Minister Phoong Jin Zhe said Sabah generated up to 45 million tonnes of biomass in 2021 and therefore recognises the potential of the industry.
“The state cabinet has principally agreed to establish our very own biomass policy to regulate the supply and downstream of the palm oil biomass industry.
“The cabinet also agreed to utilise POIC Lahad Datu as the platform to spearhead the implementation of this policy,” he said during the inaugural Malaysia Palm Oil Expo in Sandakan today.
The supply of empty palm bunches, mesocarp fibre, palm oil kernels, palm oil effluent, palm oil stems, and palm fronds can be processed to bio-pallet, bio-ethanol, bio-palm gas, bio-based chemicals, composite wood, and furniture.
Sabah is Malaysia’s largest palm oil-producing state, with a total planted area exceeding 1.5 million hectares or 27% of the country’s 5.7 million hectares of planted areas, producing around 4.36 million tonnes of crude palm oil.
“The creation of this policy is important for the long-term development of Sabah’s biomass industry while also contributing towards the sustainable socio-economic growth of Sabah, especially in terms of income generation, increased investment value, and the creation of decent job opportunities,” he said.
More than 40 intentional and domestic companies with the latest technology and research in the palm oil industry took part in the exhibition.
Also present were Tg Papat assemblyman Datuk Frankie Poon, Sandakan MP Vivian Wong, Assistant State Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Mohamad Hamsan Awang Supain, Gum-Gum assemblyman Arunarsin Taib, Sg Manila assemblyman Mokran Ingkat, Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong, and NRG Exhibition senior manager Celine Loo. – The Vibes, June 20, 2023
