Amendments to biodiversity ordinance can end biopiracy
Dr Simon Sinang Bada
KUCHING (May 21): Biopiracy can be prevented and stopped following the amendments to the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre Ordinance, said Dr Simon Sinang Bada (GPS – Tebedu).
He said the amendment to Section 6 of the Ordinance opens the door for the Sarawak Biodiversity Council (SBC) to create, develop, apply and own intellectual property rights for all its research and development (R&D) work.
'(This) will protect the Council from the threat of potential biopiracy),' he said in his debate supporting the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (Amendment) Bill 2025 at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) yesterday.
He also cited the insertion of Section 6A in the amended Ordinance would allow the SBC to incorporate a company to commercialise its research findings.
He said this would attract both local and foreign investors to invest in Sarawak, and would greatly contribute and improve Sarawak's socio-economic standing in line with its Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030.
'The groundbreaking research and development leveraging our abundant hydropower resources to support The Net Zero and Carbon Plan, and the SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) developed from microalgae is a classic example that requires this Sarawak Biodiversity Centre Bill to be amended accordingly to meet the current needs and requirements.
'The findings from the research could be commercialised to monetise their findings—R&D is an expensive investment. It is right that this investment can be recouped, recovered and for the council to profit from their R&D. The partnering and collaborations with Mitsubishi Corporation had unlocked the full potential of outdoor algae cultivation,' he said.
Meanwhile, Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor (GPS – Lingga) said the amended Ordinance is a critical enabler that empowers the SBC to build upon its existing achievements, effectively pursue its mission, and realise its ambitious vision for the future of biodiversity management in Sarawak.
She explained this Bill strengthens the SBC's role as a leading force in conservation and sustainable development, by aligning its capabilities with Sarawak's broader economic and environmental goals.
'For example, imagine the SBC successfully isolated a compound with medicinal properties. This amendment would allow them to patent the compound, license it to a pharmaceutical company, and use the royalties to fund further research into other promising natural resources,' she said in her debate in support of the Bill.
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