To mark the UNESCO status, Sarawak has agreed to host the second edition of the Green and Geopark Excellence Awards (GAGA)
by Ian McIntyre
SARAWAK marked a major step as a hub for sustainability with the elevation of the Sarawak Delta as a UNESCO-status global geo-park site later this year.
It goes in line with the state’s aspiration under Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s vision of turning Sarawak into a high-income economy through technology, innovation, value-added activities and environmental sustainability.
To mark the UNESCO status, Sarawak has agreed to host the second edition of the Green and Geopark Excellence Awards (GAGA) to mark the elevation of its stature.
Importantly, it emanates a message that Sarawak is now attuned to sustainable practises other than outright logging of its rainforest – the largest in the country.
From conservation, the state now wants to drive eco-tourism as an alternative income for the natives within the geopark radius.
The Sarawak Delta Geopark, covering 3,112 sq km, is home to diverse Indigenous communities, such as the Iban, Bidayuh, and Malays, living in a heterogeneous landscape of urban, agricultural, forest and conservation areas.
It was officially endorsed by the National Geopark Committee as a national geopark on June 20, 2022, and within the span of some four years, it is poised to become part of some 230 UNESCO sites across 50 countries globally.
The geopark site spans from Kuching, the capital city and chief port of Sarawak, nestled right in the Sarawak Delta, to the rainforest terrains.
Kuching was the administrative capital throughout the times of the Brunei sultanate, the White Rajahs of Sarawak, and during the British Colonial rule before Sarawak joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963.
The rich history of the city is showcased throughout Kuching, as can be seen through various historical landmarks such as the Old Court House, the Astana, and Fort Margherita, dotted along the city’s landscapes, telling tales of long ago that are still being passed down from generation to generation
GAGA convenor K.Y. Pung shared the excitement of hosting GAGA in Kuching, stating that the organisers plan to collaborate closely with the state forestry department, which is the lead agency in gaining the UNESCO acceptance of the Sarawak Delta.
Sarawak forest department director Datu Hamden Mohammad had led the department to recently win four awards at last year’s GAGA event in Langkawi.
The Ministry of Natural Resources & Urban Development permanent secretary, Datu Abdullah Julaihi, has also endorsed the initiative, saying that having conservation and preservation measures is the way forward for Sarawak.
Pung said that GAGA is designed to symbolise the significance of geoparks in the country, especially since there are now up to 10 geopark sites nationwide, while also advocating the need to raise awareness on green initiatives and to recognise them.
The main geoparks in the country are located at:
– Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark (Kedah): The first in Southeast Asia.
– Kinabalu UNESCO Global Geopark (Sabah): Recognised in 2023.
– Gombak Hulu Langat Geopark (Selangor): Includes the Batu Caves.
– Kinta Valley Geopark (Perak): Known for karst landscapes.
– Lenggong Geopark (Perak): An archaeological site
Geoparks are defined as a unified geographical area with clearly defined hilly boundaries, containing sites of international geological significance managed under a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development.
These areas combine conservation with community-led development, promoting geo-tourism to highlight local heritage, culture, and biodiversity.
LADA tourism division manager Dr Azmil Munif Mohd Bukhari said that with the network of geoparks sprouting all over the country, it is important that public awareness about it can also be made widespread.
Friends of Langkawi Geopark (FLAG) founder and former Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) general manager Datuk Kamarulzaman Abdul Ghani underlined that the geopark can become an umbrella for the movement of sustainable initiatives.
“For me, geopark is a way of life to embrace nature and to protect it. In return, the place will multiply our resources and give us the essentials of what we need, such as clean air, water and shelter from the searing climate change.”
With Langkawi as a starting point, as the land crest there at Gunung Machinchang, is said to be among the oldest in the region, Kamarulzaman said that he is overjoyed to welcome Sarawak Delta as part of the UNESCO family of geoparks.
If marketed and managed well, the status can become a lynchpin towards sustainable tourism, and it will elevate a site as a preferred location to visit because of the importance of green and conservation to tourists, he added.
Sustainability advocate Anthony Wong Kim Fei, who is now championing for all hotels to adopt the ASEAN green hotel ratings standards, said that eco-tourism is now becoming the focal point of tourism.
“It is no longer supplementary but the main thrust of what we defined as tourism.”
Wong had urged all tourism sites to embrace sustainability. – March 24, 2026.
