NEWS & UPDATES

KUCHING
14 DECEMBER 2021

Sarawak Energy’s emerging leadership in sustainability and community development initiatives received international recognition at the recent 13th Annual Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Virtual Summit and Awards 2021.

Malaysia’s largest renewable energy developer and Sarawak’s primary power utility, Sarawak Energy received the Gold Award for Best Community Project for its “Longhouse Adoption Programme” in Bakun Resettlement Scheme (BRS) for the 2021 edition of the awards.

Bakun HEP was commissioned in 2011 and was owned and operated by Sarawak Hidro Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance. The facility is Southeast Asia’s joint largest hydroelectric plant and involved the relocation of 15 upstream villages in 1998 to the Bakun Resettlement Scheme located in Sarawak's Belaga district where Sarawak’s major hydropower facilities are located.

Sarawak Energy acquired the facility in 2017, following which the company worked with the resettled community on a suite of CSR programmes, as part of its efforts to sustain the well-being of the community

The “Longhouse Adoption Programme” was set up in 2018 with the objective of enhancing community well-being in the BRS. Under the programme, the fifteen longhouses were ‘adopted’ on a rotational basis to streamline efforts in improving support to the individual longhouses.

The leaders of each longhouse were consulted in developing proposals to enhance the longhouse environment including beautification by gotong-royong basis, improving basic facilities and infrastructure, supporting cultural activities for heritage preservation as well as community development programmes and entrepreneurial activities.

Sarawak Energy has also worked with the community on infrastructure enhancement including levelling land within village compounds to build additional housing to meet demand for a growing population and expanding gravesite areas.

Sarawak Energy Senior Vice President for Corporate Services, Hajah Siti Aisah Adenan said when commenting on the award, “Our approach to sustainability is founded on a firm conviction that we should preserve and enhance the environment in which we operate, as well as the lifestyle and living standards of the communities we serve.”

“Community development is a vital area and pillar of our corporate social responsibility. We recognise its importance as it spurs growth of the communities and encouraging the formation of healthy relationships from all members of the communities from children to adult,” she added.

In 2020, Sarawak Energy was awarded platinum at the 12th edition of the Annual Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards and Good Governance Awards for its Belaga Penan Education Fund under the ‘Excellence in Provision for Literacy & Education’ category.

For the same year, Sarawak Energy Group CEO, Datu Haji Sharbini Suhaili was awarded Platinum under ‘The Best Chief Executive Officer’ category for his role in driving the Group’s sustainability agenda through initiatives aligned with United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The awards were presented at the 2021 ceremony.

At the 11th edition of the Global CSR Summit and Awards in 2019, Sarawak Energy was conferred Platinum Awards for its “Telang Usan Sape Heritage Programme”, “Baleh Skills Training Programme” Empowerment of Women for Sarawak Energy Leading Women Network (SELWN) and CSR Leadership and a Gold Award for its CSR Solar Project at Tanjung Datu National Park, Talang-Talang Kechil and Talang- Talang Besar.

Sarawak Energy won the Gold Award under the Best Community Programme Award for its Longhouse Adoption Programme in Bakun Resettlement Scheme