Eco-friendly minds and leaders to meet over water conservation and preservation

Eco-friendly minds and leaders to meet over water conservation and preservation

PROMINENT eco-friendly minds and leaders from both the public and private sectors will meet in Kuching next week to campaign for sustainable practices and adopt zero waste policies in the climate change era.

Held under the auspices of the Green and Geopark Excellence Awards (GAGA) series, Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB) chairman Datuk Seri Jaseni Maidinsa will deliver key insights on how water conservation and preservation are a key element of sustainability.

Jaseni would carry the message of how each state water authority including in East Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah, needs to adopt such practices now rather than wait for later, with operational expenditure rising over time.

Jaseni said that coming to Sarawak is ideal to spread the message of sustainability in the context of water because of the state's pivot from exploiting natural resources towards a more sustainable and controlled approach.

Lord Mayor of George Town (Penang) Datuk Anthony Rajendran is also scheduled to deliver keynote papers at the zero waste 2.0 conference at the UCSI Hotel in Kuching, Sarawak on October 5.

Malaysia loses roughly 34.3% of its treated water daily—amounting to over 5,500 million litres per day- lost through leaks, old pipes, and theft.

Due to Sarawak's shift towards sustainable policies of conservation and preservation amidst responsible tourism, the organisers of GAGA decided to hold this year's event in Kuching after hosting it in Langkawi, Kedah last year.

The Borneo state's determination to showcase its sustainability was a main contributor to why GAGA is held in the state capital of Sarawak now, said the event's convenor K.Y. Pung.

GAGA is also held to mark Sarawak Delta area's elevation as one of the four UNESCO-level geoparks in the country earlier in April; the others being Langkawi, Lenggong, Kinabalu and now Kuching.

Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Haji Hazland Abang Hipni will open the conference, while Sarawak Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government Datuk Amar Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian will be at the grand GAGA awards ceremony. - September 30, 2026.