Sarawak Bioindustrial Park: Turning Borneo’s Biodiversity into the Bioeconomy of Tomorrow

KOTA SAMARAHAN, 13 August 2026 — Sarawak’s extraordinary biodiversity is taking another significant step towards becoming a driver of high-value economic growth with the foundation laying of the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park (SBP) in Kota Samarahan.

Officiated by the Right Honourable Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, the ceremony marked the beginning of construction of SBP’s Central Hub — the core facility within the park’s 100-acre masterplan.

Scheduled for completion within 24 months, the Central Hub is envisioned as more than a research facility. It is designed to become the bridge between Sarawak’s scientific discoveries, its biological resources and the commercial products and industries of tomorrow.

At its heart, SBP represents a shift in how Sarawak views its biodiversity: not simply as something to be conserved, but as a source of knowledge, innovation and sustainable economic opportunity.

From Biodiversity to Business

Managed and operated by BioVerde Technologies Sdn Bhd (BVT), a subsidiary of the Sarawak Biodiversity Council, SBP will bring together research, innovation, product development, manufacturing and commercialisation within a single ecosystem.

The park will focus on five core sectors — bioactives, biohealth, biomaterials, bioenergy and bioenvironmental solutions.

This could mean everything from functional foods, fragrances and flavourings to health supplements and pharmaceuticals; from bio-based polymers and biocomposites to sustainable fuels and bioremediation technologies.

The Central Hub will provide shared research laboratories, pilot-scale processing facilities, collaborative workspaces and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant manufacturing support.

For start-ups, researchers and established businesses, this infrastructure is intended to address one of the most difficult stages of innovation: moving an idea from the laboratory into a product that can be tested, scaled, certified and brought to market.

In his welcoming address, Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development Sarawak, Honourable Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, described the project as an important platform connecting Sarawak’s people, institutions and ideas with new opportunities in the bioindustry.

He emphasised that research only creates real value when knowledge can be translated into solutions that benefit society — highlighting the persistent global challenge of bridging scientific discovery and commercialisation.

That gap is precisely where SBP is expected to make a difference.

A Scientific Foundation Built Over Decades

The ambition behind SBP is supported by years of investment in research and the documentation of Sarawak’s biological resources.

According to Dato Sri Sagah’s speech, the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) has built one of the region’s valuable collections of biological resources and scientific knowledge, including traditional knowledge associated with Sarawak’s indigenous communities.

Its Natural Product Library now comprises more than 29,000 plant extracts, 24,000 microbial strains and more than 600 algae strains, alongside other biological resources.

These collections provide researchers with opportunities to identify new compounds and develop technologies with potential applications in healthcare, agriculture, food, biomaterials and environmental sustainability.

But the next challenge is taking those discoveries beyond research papers and laboratories.

SBP was conceived as part of the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) to help ensure Sarawak’s R&D findings and biological assets can translate sustainably into high-value industrial growth.

As Dato Sri Sagah noted, promising bio-innovations need an environment where they can mature beyond laboratory research and become commercially viable products.

For businesses, particularly bio-based start-ups, SMEs, nutraceutical companies and technology firms, access to specialised facilities and expertise could significantly reduce the barriers and upfront capital normally associated with developing and scaling new products.

Where Research Meets Industry

One of SBP’s most important roles will be to bring researchers and industry closer together.

Universities and research institutions will have greater opportunities to align their work with market demand, allowing discoveries to progress towards prototypes, validation, intellectual property and commercial applications.

This is particularly relevant as biotechnology becomes increasingly multidisciplinary.

The future of bioindustry is no longer confined to traditional laboratory science. Biotechnology is increasingly converging with artificial intelligence, automation, advanced manufacturing and digital technologies.

Sarawak’s vision, therefore, is not simply to build another industrial park. It is to create an ecosystem where different disciplines, institutions and businesses can work together.

“This is the type of innovation ecosystem we are building in Sarawak,” Dato Sri Sagah said in his address, highlighting the importance of collaboration, technology and the sustainable use of Sarawak’s biodiversity alongside the traditional wisdom of local communities.

The role of BioVerde Technologies will be central to this ecosystem, supporting the identification, development and commercialisation of promising R&D outcomes generated by research agencies under the Ministry.

Building the People Behind the Innovation

For Sarawak, however, the bioeconomy is not only about laboratories, factories and investment.

It is also about people.

Dato Sri Sagah stressed that facilities and technology are only as effective as the talent that uses them. The long-term success of SBP will depend on having people capable of driving innovation across the ecosystem.

This means developing Sarawakians who possess scientific knowledge alongside creativity, technical competency, entrepreneurial thinking and the ability to work across disciplines.

Stronger collaboration between universities, TVET institutions, research organisations and industry will be crucial in preparing a workforce that understands not only science, but also commercialisation, regulatory requirements and global market expectations.

In this sense, SBP is also an investment in the next generation of Sarawakian innovators and industry leaders.

Eight Strategic Partnerships Signal Early Confidence

The strength of the SBP vision was further demonstrated through the exchange of eight strategic collaboration agreements and Memoranda of Understanding during the ceremony.

The partnerships span healthcare, agriculture, food, biotechnology, certification and industrial standards.

Twin Catalyst Sdn. Bhd. is exploring a pharmaceutical-grade production facility for healthcare products, while Fly Technology Agriculture Sdn. Bhd. (WormingUp) will advance black soldier fly bioconversion and circular waste-management solutions.

Pawada Sdn. Bhd. is looking at functional food manufacturing using local agricultural resources, including pepper and poultry-derived ingredients.

Meanwhile, Bioeconomy Corporation will work towards the proposed Sarawak Cellular BioFoundry, while Normah Medical Specialist Centre will support the proposed Sarawak Regenerative BioFoundry through clinical and healthcare expertise.

CRAUN Research Sdn. Bhd. will focus on value-added sago applications, including low-glycaemic-index foods and modified sago starch.

Control Union Malaysia will provide certification, inspection, traceability and ESG assurance services, while SIRIM Berhad will contribute industrial standards testing, laboratory services, metrology and technical support.

Together, these collaborations demonstrate how SBP is already beginning to connect research, industry, healthcare, agriculture, standards and commercialisation.

Innovation with Responsibility

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of Sarawak’s bioeconomy ambition is that commercialisation is being pursued alongside responsibility.

Sarawak’s biodiversity is deeply connected to the communities that have lived with, understood and safeguarded these resources for generations.

Dato Sri Sagah reaffirmed that innovation must therefore progress responsibly through the implementation of Access and Benefit Sharing.

The framework is intended to safeguard Sarawak’s biodiversity while ensuring that benefits arising from its utilisation are shared fairly with communities who have preserved these resources.

This principle was also reflected in the launch of BVT’s new personal-care range during the ceremony, comprising body wash, shampoo and conditioner formulated using Litsea cubeba sourced from communities in Bario, Ba’Kelalan and Padawan.

BVT also partnered with DeserveBarn on a new product line featuring essential oils and fragrances inspired by Sarawak flowers, together with Engkabang butter.

These products offer a glimpse of what the wider bioeconomy could look like: taking locally sourced biological resources and traditional knowledge, developing them through science and innovation, and ultimately transforming them into market-ready products.

A New Chapter for Sarawak’s Bioeconomy

The foundation laying of SBP may physically mark the beginning of a construction project, but its significance extends far beyond bricks, laboratories and manufacturing facilities.

It represents an attempt to connect the entire innovation chain — from biodiversity and traditional knowledge, to research and education, from technology and talent, to industry and global markets.

As Dato Sri Sagah put it, the ceremony symbolises the beginning of a platform connecting education, research, innovation and industry in ways that can create lasting value for Sarawak.

The ambition is clear: Sarawak wants its discoveries to leave the laboratory.

It wants research to become technology. Technology to become products. Products to create industries. And those industries, in turn, to create opportunities for its people while ensuring that the biodiversity underpinning this new economy is responsibly protected.

For a state blessed with one of the world’s richest natural environments, the Sarawak Bioindustrial Park could mark the beginning of a new chapter — one where biodiversity becomes innovation, innovation becomes enterprise, and enterprise creates sustainable value for generations to come.