![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Kch-191125-sj-troveborneo-p1-B.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nFacebook
\nTwitter
\nLinkedIn
\nThreads
\nWhatsApp
\nTelegram\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Muhammad Abdullah (centre) with members of the local indigenous community, alongside project partners Hazwan (back row, left), Yeo (fourth left), Koh (third right) and BVT director Hudson Chua Jain (second right). \u2013 Photo by Chimon Upon<\/p>\n
KUCHING (Nov 20): Trove Borneo, a new brand of premium essential oils sourced from the rich flora of Sarawak, has officially launched with a limited-edition release of 500 sets.<\/p>\n
The project is spearheaded by the Sarawak Biodiversity Council (SBC), and developed in collaboration with local indigenous communities, and KITKOJI Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based company.<\/p>\n
The product launch yesterday was accompanied by a memorandum of agreement (MoA) exchange ceremony.<\/p>\n
The signatories included Sarawak Biodiversity Centre chief executive officer (CEO) Dato Yeo Tiong Chia, KITKOJI CEO Ken Koh, and SBC\u2019s subsidiary BioVerde Technologies (BVT) Sdn Bhd CEO Hazwan Razak.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was witnessed by Deputy State Secretary Dato Sri Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel.<\/p>\n
The agreement aims to position the state at the forefront of the region\u2019s burgeoning natural wellness industry by combining SBC\u2019s scientific expertise with KITKOJI\u2019s experience in pioneering natural wellness products.<\/p>\n
At the event, Muhammad Abdullah emphasised that Trove Borneo represents the state\u2019s long-term vision for sustainable and inclusive development.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe initiative goes beyond a product launch as it connects our natural heritage with global aspirations for wellness, ethical sourcing, and community-driven development,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added that the brand reflects the principles of the state\u2019s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, particularly its focus on innovation, economic resilience, social equity, and environmental stewardship.<\/p>\n
Muhammad Abdullah, who also serves as the SBC chairman, highlighted the deep involvement of Sarawak\u2019s indigenous communities in the Trove Borneo project.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst and foremost, thank you very much for your contribution to the discovery of these plants. This is a scientific compound that has not yet been identified by any other community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The project collaborates with numerous communities, including the Lun Bawangs of Long Telingan and Long Kerebangan in Lawas and Long Rusu Ba Kelala; the Kelabits of Pa Lungan and Pa Ukat in Bario; the Bidayuhs of Kampung Kiding and Kampung Parang in Padawan, Kampung Semadang in Penrissen, Kampung Jagoi in Bau; the Ibans of Rumah Simon Lubok Antu; the Melanaus of Kampung Paloh Belawai; as well as the Kenyahs of Uma Kelep Belaga and the Kayan of Long Bedian, Baram.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, these plants may seem like part of our daily lives, but they can be commercialised and traded in international markets, giving higher returns to the community and helping to improve their livelihoods,\u201d Abdullah explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, in South Korea, they work with their local communities on ginseng production. Here we are doing the same practice with our local lemongrass and ginger,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Yeo shared that the Trove Borneo project is built on the \u201ctraditional knowledge documentation of at least 40 communities and 5,000 villagers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis essential oil is 100 per cent natural, pure, and sustainable. We assure you that these are very high-quality products,\u201d said Yeo, adding that they have collected 704 essential oils after 20 years of work from about 41 villages.<\/p>\n
Koh, meanwhile, described Trove Borneo as a \u2018once-in-a-lifetime wellness gift\u2019, defining the brand through its \u2018WELL\u2019 philosophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cW for the wisdom of indigenous communities; E for the eternity of the 130-million-year-old Borneo rainforest; L for the legacy of our groundbreaking partnerships; and L for the longevity offered to gift recipients.<\/p>\n
The collection features nine pure essential oils \u2013 including litsea cubeba fruit, litsea cubeba leaf, adenosma nelsonioides, zingiber officinale and others \u2013 sustainably cultivated, harvested, and distilled by 13 indigenous communities.<\/p>\n
Each set is priced at an introductory rate of RM788, with 50 per cent of every sale going directly back to the local indigenous communities and SBC.<\/p>\n