Synthetic timber a viable alternative for construction, says Premier

By Doreen Ling

KUCHING, Nov 18: Synthetic timber, or engineered wood, combined with fibre can be used as an alternative building material for construction purposes, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

“As you know, synthetic timber is a combination of timber fibre and other chemical products. Although it also needs a bit of carbon, but then, the degree of production of carbon can be mitigated,” he said.

He said this during a dinner in conjunction with the officiation of the International Conference on Forest Plantation Research and Innovation (ICFPRI) 2025 held at a hotel here on Monday (Nov 17).

Engineered wood, also called mass timber, composite wood, man-made wood, or manufactured board, includes a range of derivative wood products which are manufactured by binding or fixing the strands, particles, fibres, veneers, or boards of wood together with adhesives or other methods of fixation to form composite material.

Against that background, he said, he hoped that scientists and experts could find ways to enrich oxygen production and strengthen forests, especially in the tropics, where sunlight and rainfall provide ideal conditions for rapid growth and become a critical part of the global solution to climate change.

“I hope that the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) can establish research networks with the world and help each other for us to meet the needs of the world, particularly the agenda under the United Nations (UN), for us to establish the future for our next generation,” he said.

Also present were the Sarawak Deputy Minister of Urban Planning, Land Administration, and Environment, Datuk Len Talif Salleh; the Sarawak Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Datuk Dr Hazland Abang Hipni; and FDS director, Datu Hamden Mohammad. — DayakDaily

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