NEWS & UPDATE

KUCHING
18 DECEMBER 2025

Sarawak Energy showcased its commitment to supporting Sarawak’s rich cultural heritage at the inaugural Borneo International Textile Festival 2025 held on 8 December in Kuching. The event brought together local and international experts, artisans and community leaders to explore ways to preserve and revitalise indigenous textile traditions.

Officiated by Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah binti Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj, the festival served as a platform for Sarawak Energy to highlight its ongoing initiatives that nurture traditional crafts while supporting community livelihoods.

Speaking at the panel session “Sustaining Heritage, Revitalising Traditional Textile Industries in the Modern Economy”, Sarawak Energy’s Senior Vice President for Corporate Services, Hajah Siti Aisah Adenan, shared programmes that empower local communities, including the Baleh Artisan Skills Training Programme, which equips women and youth artisans from Kapit and Baleh with skills in traditional weaving, contemporary design and entrepreneurship, supporting artisans in preserving cultural practices while creating sustainable livelihoods.

She also highlighted Sarawak Energy’s broader cultural preservation initiatives, including the award-winning Handicraft Development Programme, recipient of the UN Women 2024 Malaysia Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Award, and the promotion of community-made products such as rattan bags, batik linut laptop cases and beaded lanyards at events, including the Rainforest World Music Festival, the Malaysia Carbon Market Forum and the Sustainability & Renewable Energy Forum (SAREF). She also shared about the Artisans Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Programme, delivered in partnership with DHL Express and TikTok Shop, which supports artisans in sustaining their livelihoods by providing training in digital commerce, livestreaming, content creation and online sales.

“At Sarawak Energy, we believe that our legacy is rooted in the people, culture and traditions that define us. Protecting and nurturing these traditions helps ensure that the energy transition strengthens our identity, preserves our culture and enables our communities to grow,” she said.

Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 17: Partnerships for the Goals, Sarawak Energy collaborates with academia, policymakers, industries and communities to strengthen the local craft scene. This includes partnerships with Tanoti Sdn. Bhd. and the Rumah Garie community in Baleh to help document traditional weaving techniques and inspire younger generations to continue these practices.

Over the years, Sarawak Energy and its community artisans have achieved global recognition, including:

• Guinness World Record in 2016 for the world’s longest woven mat crafted by over 400 Orang Ulu women from Bakun, Murum and Baram.
• Malaysia Book of Records titles for the Longest Non-Stop Sape Performance in 2019 and Longest Non-Stop Batang Ai Drum Performance, the latter awarded during the Batang Ai HEP 40^th Anniversary in October 2025.

These initiatives reflect Sarawak Energy’s commitment under its corporate social responsibility pillars of Community Development & Entrepreneurship and Culture & Heritage.

Sarawak Energy remains committed to working with local communities, artisans and cultural partners to support cultural preservation while advancing a sustainable and inclusive future for all.

The inaugural Borneo International Textile Festival in Sarawak, officiated by Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah binti Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj, convened 250 participants to explore pathways for preserving and promoting indigenous textile heritage

Hajah Siti Aisah Adenan, Senior Vice President for Corporate Services, represented Sarawak Energy as a panellist on ‘Sustaining Heritage, Revitalising Traditional Textile Industries in the Modern Economy’