Four city mayors lead 26 award recipients recognised for advancing green initiatives, environmental conservation and sustainable development.
KUCHING, SARAWAK, 6 October 2026 – The Green and Geopark Excellence Awards (GAGA) made history in recognising environmental champions when it conferred awards on four city mayors, a water resources champion and tourism advocates at a glittering ceremony held at UCSI Hotel, Kuching, Sarawak, today.
GAGA is a unique event tailored to reward the “heroes” of the natural environment while organising conferences to encourage discourse and collective action in the fight to arrest the degradation of Mother Nature.
Datuk Amar Prof Dr Sim Kui Hian, Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Sarawak, presented the awards to the four mayors and expressed his admiration for their respective city councils’ efforts to embrace green initiatives. He added that such recognition would encourage others in Sarawak and beyond to strive for excellence.
The four mayors were Kuching South Mayor Y.Bhg. Dato’ Wee Hong Seng, Kuching North Mayor Dato Haji Hilmy bin Haji Othman, Miri Mayor YB En. Adam Yii Siew Sang and George Town Mayor Y.Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Rajendran P. Anthony.
Wee also represented Kuching South City Council (MBKS), Hilmy represented Kuching North City Council (DBKU), Yii represented Miri City Council, and Rajendran represented Penang Island City Council (MBPP).
Wee received the Outstanding Sustainable City Transformation Leadership Award, while Hilmy was honoured with the Distinguished Smart City Innovation and Digital Award. Under Yii’s leadership, Miri City Council received two awards for its Zero-Waste Community Initiative and Green Building initiatives.
Rajendran received the Local Government Sustainability Leadership Award and accepted two other awards on behalf of MBPP: Green Organisation of the Year and Green Building Certification Excellence.
Besides the mayors, water resources champion Dato’ Seri Ir Jaseni Maidinsa was recognised for more than three decades of leadership in water conservation and preservation, particularly in his home state of Penang.
Jaseni was recalled from retirement to lead Pengurusan Aset Air Berhad (PAAB), helping state water authorities address the costs of maintaining sustainable operations and ensuring continued water supply.
He received the Sustainability Transformation Leadership Award.
Tourism veteran Dr Sharzede Datu Hj Salleh Askor, who was head-hunted to lead the Sarawak Tourism Board as its chief executive officer, accepted the Longest Sustainable Event Excellence – Rainforest World Music Festival Award on behalf of the board.
In all, GAGA recognised 26 recipients in 2026 for excellence in sustainable green practices, with Sarawak’s local authorities claiming a significant share of the honours.
Dr Sim stressed the need for everyone to work together to arrest the adverse effects of climate change.
He advocated making green practices an integral part of Sarawak’s development efforts under its Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030, which rests on three pillars: economic prosperity, social inclusivity and environmental sustainability.
“Not only do we have the Sarawak Sustainability Blueprint, but also the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Roadmap for Local Authorities,” he said.
He added that state assessments showed Sarawak’s city councils had achieved a sustainability level of 67 per cent, compared with the national average of 43 per cent.
Municipal councils recorded about 60 per cent, while district councils recorded 52 per cent.
MBKS emerged as the biggest award winner, receiving five awards: Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security, Environmental Education and Awareness, Smart Green Infrastructure Innovation, Green Technology Innovation, and Community Circularity Pioneer.
The achievement marked a milestone for MBKS, which secured the highest number of awards among the recipients at GAGA 2026.
DBKU was also recognised for its achievements in Circular Economy Pioneer, Nature-Based Solution, Sustainable Urban Innovation, and Environmental Policy and Governance.
Other recipients included Penang Hill Corporation general manager Dato’ Cheok Lay Leng, who received the Outstanding Sustainable Destination & Biosphere Stewardship Award for his leadership.
Forest Department Sarawak director Datu Haji Hamden bin Haji Mohammad received the Sustainable Forest Stewardship Award, while the Regional Corridor Development Authority (RECODA) received the Aspiring Sustainable Infrastructure Award.
SMK Lutong received the Outstanding Green School and Circular Economy Education Excellence Award for its commitment to environmental education, recycling and upcycling, having collected approximately 700,000 aluminium cans over a decade. Principal Mr Wong Kui accepted the award on behalf of the school.
GAGA Convenor K.Y. Pung hailed SMK Lutong as a model green school, inspiring the next generation of environmental champions and other schools nationwide.
From Sabah, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) received the Top Green Tourist Attraction Award, accepted by its founder and CEO, Dr (Hon) Wong Siew Te, D.J.N. Established in 2008 in Sepilok, Sandakan, the centre has championed sun bear conservation and sustainable tourism, attracting a record 90,760 visitors in 2025. Its conservation efforts have helped raise awareness of the endangered species, now represented by Wira and Manja, the official mascots of Visit Malaysia 2026.
In the geopark category, where sustainability remains an underlying theme, Global Geoparks Network executive board member Dr Azmil Munif Mohd Bukhari received the Excellence in Geopark Network Leadership and International Cooperation Award.
Dr Azmil is also chairman of the Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark Community Engagement and Public Education Committee.
Tropical Charters Langkawi received the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Compliant Travel Operator Award, while TUI BLUE The Haven Ipoh received the Most Alluring Geopark Abode Award.
The 2026 awards marked the second edition of GAGA and were held alongside the two-day Zero Waste Management 2.0 Conference, which ran from 5 to 6 October.
GAGA is a regional platform dedicated to recognising environmental leadership, sustainable geopark management and advances in responsible tourism.
It collaborates with the Philippines-based Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), an international environmental network working to reduce waste and pollution, advance environmental justice and promote zero-waste community solutions. Its network includes organisations such as the Mother Earth Foundation and groups involved in the Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) movement.
The awards support ASEAN+1 collaboration towards a greener future and reflect Malaysia’s commitment to climate action and sustainable development, including the priorities outlined in the 13th Malaysia Plan.