Muhamad Yakup (seated, third left) joins representatives from government agencies and stakeholders for a photo call during the programme.
BINTULU (June 19): The Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) has convened the first Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for the preparation of the Bintulu Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Roadmap and Voluntary Local Review (VLR).
Held at Parkcity Everly Hotel here on Thursday, the session brought together representatives from government agencies, industry players, educational institutions and other stakeholders to contribute ideas and feedback on Bintulu’s future development direction.
The programme was officiated by BDA general manager Datu Muhamad Yakup Kari and attended by Jepak assemblyman Iskandar Turkee and Tanjong Batu assemblyman Johnny Pang Leong Ming.
BDA said the discussion served as a platform to present and validate preliminary findings, while identifying key issues, challenges and opportunities related to sustainable development in Bintulu.
The engagement session, held under the Malaysia SDG Cities Programme, aims to support the formulation of a comprehensive roadmap to guide Bintulu’s sustainability efforts in the coming years.
“The FGD represents an important milestone in charting Bintulu’s sustainable development pathway and advancing its vision of becoming a low-carbon industrial hub,” BDA said in a statement.
Participants were invited to provide input and recommendations for the preparation of Bintulu’s Voluntary Local Review, a report assessing local progress in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The initiative is aligned with the BDA Strategic Plan 2024-2030, the Sarawak government’s Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, as well as national and global sustainability frameworks.
BDA expressed appreciation to all agencies, organisations and strategic partners for their participation and commitment throughout the discussion.
It said the outcomes of the FGD would provide a strong foundation for future policies and action plans aimed at promoting sustainable, inclusive and resilient urban growth in Bintulu.
“The collaboration of all stakeholders is essential in ensuring the successful implementation of sustainability initiatives and the achievement of long-term development goals for the benefit of future generations,” it added.
