Kuching, Friday, 06th December 2019 - Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), the state’s leading research and development agency on sustainable biodiversity utilization celebrated its 21st anniversary at Pullman Kuching with the launch of its Journey Book in advancing biodiversity discoveries and set off on its new mission towards global prominence.

Sarawak Biodiversity Council, Mitsubishi Corporation and CHITOSE group are pleased to announce their joint collaboration with Sea Horse Corporation Sdn. Bhd. for testing algae on commercial shrimp aquaculture.

The Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), Sarawak’s leading research centre, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), a global integrated business enterprise, will be setting another milestone for Southeast Asia in August of this year with the launch of one of the largest outdoor algae cultivation facilities in the region.

KUCHING: Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) celebrated its annual Biodiversity Day on 4th May 2019 at its premises located at Borneo Heights, Semengoh here.

The celebration was held in conjunction with the United Nations’ International Day for Biological Diversity which is observed on May 22 annually to increase public awareness on biodiversity issues. The theme of this year event is “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, and Our Health”. It is one of SBC’s initiatives to encourage general public especially the young generation to be interested in biodiversity, science and research.

The Sarawak Online Research Application System (SORAS) is now available and open to all research applicants. Where applicable, the relevant agencies such as the Sarawak Forestry Corporation and Economic Planning Unit Sarawak will evaluate and approve the applications.  All applications under SORAS will be reported to the by the Access and Benefit Sharing Technical Committee chaired by the Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resources.

To use the system, applicants must register an account and fill in the required details before submitting applications.

The contest is held in conjunction with SBC Biodiversity Day 2019 and is open for children aged 7 - 9 years old. It is limited to 50 participants only.

A total of 26 community representatives under the SBC Traditional Knowledge (TK) Documentation Programme participated in the Biodiversity Day & Traditional Knowledge Seminar 2018 that was held at Imperial Hotel, Kuching on 12-14 May 2018.

This year’s TK Seminar participants come from various villages which comprise of different regions in Sarawak which are the Bidayuh, Bagatan, Berawan, Bisaya, Iban, Kayan, Kedayan, Kelabit, Kenyah, Lun Bawang, Melayu, Melanau, Tanjong, Penan, Sa’ban, Salako, Tagal and Tabun.

They actively participated in both events and very supportive especially towards the TK documentation programme. They were involved in exhibition activities and attended public awareness talks that were lined up during the Biodiversity Day.

As for the two days of TK Seminar, they were exposed to the concept of plant propagation, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), herbal product development and marketing strategies that will help them in the future. Apart from that, field visits to Rampangi Integrated Research Station and SBC’s Plant Plots at Agriculture Research Centre (ARC) to expose the participants on the processes of plant management and fertigation system.

The Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) recently received a visit from Genichi Ichikawa, the new Chief Executive in Malaysia, and General Manager, Kuala Lumpur Branch of Mitsubishi Corporation. He was accompanied by Kenji Ohta, the former Chief Executive in Malaysia and GM of Kuala Lumpur Branch. Ohta is also the current Senior Vice President, General Manager, Energy Business Group CEO Office, Mitsubishi Tokyo.

Biodiversity Day in conjunction with the International Day for Biological Diversity 2018
Celebrating 25 years of Action for Biodiversity
Date: 12 May 2018, Saturday, 8.00am - 5.00pm
Venue: Level 5, Imperial Hotel, Kuching

YBhg Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot
Chairman, Sarawak Biodiversity Council

Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot is the new Chairman of Sarawak Biodiversity Council effectively from 1 March 2018, taking over from previous Chairman and State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Haji Mohamad Morshidi Bin Abdul Ghani.

Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot has extensive experience in economic affairs, policy analysis, development planning including regional, sectoral, program and project planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. He has vast experiences in corporate and business affairs, business strategy, capacity planning and building. During his previous highly successful career appointment as the CEO of the Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA), RECODA had attracted around RM100 billion of FDI and DDI investments.

He has served in various organizations such as:

• Member of Sarawak Research and Development Council (Mac 2018 – present)
• Chief Executive Officer of RECODA/SCORE (Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy)(Aug 2009 – Dec 2017)
• Chairman of Sarawak Biodiversity Council (2007 – 2009)
• State Secretary Sarawak (Jan 2007 – Aug 2009)
• Deputy State Secretary Sarawak (Administration, Security & Protocol) (July 2006 – Dec 2006)
• Deputy State Secretary Sarawak (Human Resource) (Aug 2004 – June 2006)
• Deputy State Secretary Sarawak (Planning & Development) (Aug 2000 – June 2004)
• Director of State Planning Unit (May 1995 – Aug 2000)
• Principal Assistant Director of State Planning Unit (1990 – 1994)
• Project Director [Kalaka – Saribas Integrated Agriculture Development Project (IADP)] under the Ministry of Agriculture (1986 – 1989)
• Principal Assistant Secretary of State Planning Unit (1983 – 1985)
• Economist of International Pepper community Jakarta, Indonesia under the Ministry of Primary Industries/ Inter-governmental Commodity Organization (1977 - 1983)
• Assistant Secretary of State Planning Unit (1973 – 1977)

Past/Present appointments (Federal)

• Advisory Panel and member of Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER)
• Chairman of Complaints Committee Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) (February 2015 – February 2018)
• Member of Complaints Committee of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) (February 2013 – February 2015)
• Member of MYCC Competition Tribunal (Tribunal Rayuan Persaingan (KPDNKK)) (Since 1st April 2015 - Present)
• Member of the National Export Council (MITI/MATRADE) (Since December 2014 - Present)
• Member of Investment Committee (MITI/MIDA) (Since September 2009 - Present)

Tan Sri Datuk Amar Wilson Baya Dandot holds Degrees of Master in Development Economics, Sussex University UK, and a Bachelor of Economics Degree from the University of Western Australia. He also attended Executive Courses at JFK School of Government Harvard University and the University Queensland, Australia

SBC’s Microbial Library currently hosts a collection of 12,869 actinobacteria strains and 7,650 fungi isolated from various environmental samples collected across Sarawak. The microbial strains were cultured in various media, leading to a collection of 27,933 extracts that have been screened for bioactivity against fungi, yeast, and bacteria.

The Sarawak Biodiversity Regulations, 2004 is repealed and replaced with the Sarawak Biodiversity Regulations, 2016 (Gazette date: 30 December 2016) which has come into force effective 28 January 2016.

The new regulations include the process of obtaining Prior Informed Consent (PIC) and provisions of the Benefit Sharing Agreement. The Sarawak Biodiversity Regulations, 2016 can be downloaded here.

The latest Sarawak Biodiversity (Fees) Notification, 2017 can be viewed here.

We hope that this group of delegates of the 55th ICCA 2016 had a meaningful, albeit brief visit with us. Looking forward to more great international conferences in Sarawak.

Check out the photos below.

We're happy to have been part of the Strategic Engagement Programme for this batch of Diploma Pascasiswazah Pengurusan Awam who are currently attached to the Ministry of Resource Planning and Environment, Sarawak.

Here are recordings of animals caught on camera along SBC's Nature Trails.  What other surprises does the forest around SBC hold for us? Stay tuned!

The visit took place on 10 October 2016 and he was accompanied by Mr Jacky Wong & Mr Eugene Cheng.

A visit to SBC from United States Trade Representatives group on 21 September 2016.

Sejiwa Senada, Miri

Date: 8 - 10 January, 2016

Sejiwa Senada, Sibu

Date: 15 - 17 January 2016

Sejiwa Senada, Sarikei

Date: 19 - 21 February 2016

Sejiwa Senada, Saratok

Date: 26 - 28 February 2016

Sejiwa Senada, Kapit

Date: 4 - 6 March 2016