KUCHING – Sarawak Governor Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and his wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi made an official visit to the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) in Semenggoh on Sunday, highlighting their continued support for biodiversity conservation and traditional knowledge preservation.
Arriving at 10am with family members, the Governor and his entourage were warmly received by Sarawak Forest Director Datu Hamden Mohammad, Sarawak NREB Environmental Quality Controller Datu Jack Liam, and Sarawak Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Permanent Secretary Adana Jed.
The visit began with a guided tour of SBC’s native plant collection, where the Governor and Toh Puan Fauziah were briefed on the cultural and medicinal significance of various plants traditionally used by Sarawak’s indigenous communities.
In a symbolic gesture of environmental stewardship, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi planted a Kundong (Usah Badew) tree, reinforcing the state’s commitment to biodiversity sustainability.
The Governor and his wife also toured several key facilities at SBC, including the algae and Ganoderma cultivation areas, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, the Natural Products Library, and the SBC Exhibition Gallery.
This visit followed a courtesy call by SBC representatives last Wednesday, where discussions centred on Sarawak’s achievements in documenting traditional knowledge and implementing the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism in partnership with local communities.
Also in attendance during the visit was Sarawak State Health Director Dr Veronica Lugah, underscoring the multi-agency interest in integrating biodiversity with health and development policies.
