Dr Hazland (centre) at the UCFS 2026 seminar in Kuala Lumpur.
KUCHING (July 25): Sarawak will serve as the lead convener for the Bintulu–Samalaju Transitioning Industrial Clusters (TIC) initiative, aimed at accelerating the state’s shift towards a low-carbon industrial economy.
State Deputy Minister for Energy and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said the initiative placed Sarawak at the forefront of Malaysia’s green industrial transformation, with the Bintulu–Samalaju region becoming the country’s first member of the World Economic Forum’s TIC network.
Speaking as a panellist at the Unlocking Capital for Sustainability Malaysia 2026 (UCFS 2026): Financing Growth for a Resilient Economy seminar in Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Dr Hazland said the TIC initiative was formally launched in June as a federal-state partnership.
He said the initiative was led by Sarawak’s Ministry of Energy and Environmental Sustainability as lead convener, with support from MyDIGITAL Corporation and the World Economic Forum.
“The initiative is designed to accelerate clean energy adoption, digital innovation and low-carbon industrial development by leveraging Sarawak’s abundant renewable energy resources and established petrochemical industry,” he said in a statement.
Dr Hazland said the Bintulu–Samalaju industrial corridor currently involved more than 25 participating companies, with four pilot projects already identified.
He added that the initiative was projected to contribute about RM12 billion annually to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2040 while creating nearly 19,000 new jobs.
The initiative, he said, would transform Bintulu and Samalaju into a coordinated low-carbon industrial ecosystem, strengthening Sarawak’s position as a regional hub for clean energy, green petrochemicals and hydrogen-based industries.
Dr Hazland said the TIC initiative also supported Sarawak’s aspiration to achieve net-zero carbon emissions while reinforcing the state’s role in Malaysia’s green economy transformation.
He called for stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors to mobilise sustainable investments and drive innovation in industrial development.
The one-day UCFS 2026 seminar, themed “Financing Growth for a Resilient Economy”, brought together policymakers, financiers and industry leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region to discuss ways to mobilise capital for sustainable and resilient economic growth.
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