Sustainable development, green initiatives discussed at regional growth triangle meet, says Perak MB

IPOH: Sustainable development, pollution, and the enhancement of the ecosystem are some of the highlights addressed during the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Green Council meeting.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the meeting, held for the first time in Perak, discussed three main strategies concerning the environment.

He said in the meeting the strategy to increase and implement the green city initiatives in all the sub-regions involved was discussed.

“We also talked about coordination efforts for sustainable management of natural resources within the triangle, namely involving the forest, water sources, as well as wildlife.

“Strengthening cooperation in the management, and restoration of the ecosystem at the borders were also discussed,” he told a press conference after chairing the meeting at a hotel here Wednesday (Aug 9).

Saarani added that the core team during the meeting also talked about the importance of supervision, and monitoring of the sustainable urban development framework, encouragement of responsible resource management, reduction of pollution and waste, and fostering a more equitable and resilient society.

“With Perak bordering both Indonesia and Thailand via land or sea, this meeting greatly benefits the state.

“Especially in the bordering areas, we share the same forests, sea, and a certain extent of the culture as well, thus we need cooperation, and need to work together to face the various challenges.

“Also since it is Visit Perak Year next year, we took the opportunity to promote the state, and its attractions to the delegates present,” he added.

During his speech earlier, Saarani shared Perak’s masterplan “Perak Sejahtera 2030” which focuses on three major domains – excellent governance, economic development, and social well-being.

He said in terms of the economic framework of the master plan, he envisions the state transitioning from an outmoded, extractive economy to a more sustainable, regenerative economy via a circular economic model.

“Ipoh has been identified as the first city in South-East Asia to pioneer and adopt the Doughnut or Circular economics into its development plans, and policies.

“Concurrently complementing the masterplan, the state also adopted a sustainable plan in order to accelerate green, sustainable and inclusive development within the national and international sustainability parameters.

“Perak, for example, has managed to preserve 48% of the state’s land area, and has also successfully planted around 5.5 million trees as part of the nationwide 100 million tree planting campaign,” he added.

Saarani said the state also hoped to tap into hydroelectric energy from its river streams and pioneered “floating solar” projects harnessing energy from the Bukit Merah and Kenering lakes.

He said Perak is also an advocate of the Smart Green City initiative in the country, where a number of collaboratives programmes to effectively address urbanisation challenges faced by the people of Ipoh, and to realise Ipoh as a Green, and Low Carbon City by 2030.