KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is not heading in the right direction, as there is a clear lack of direction in the State’s administration.
Sabah Umno Liaison Chairman Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor said the new State Government’s willingness to revisit the idea of a using coal as a source of energy is outrageous, any caring Sabahan would have the sound mind to ensure that Maliau Basin, the Lost World is not de-gazetted in the name of progress.
“Maliau is a First Class Forest, kept pristine for future generations, and to help minimise global warming brought about by the carbon footprints in particular,” he said, in a statement, Saturday.
Land is a state matter in Sabah and one that touches on the sovereignty of the people, he said, while adding that the State administration must stand up firmly against Putrajaya on coal mining.
“Environmentalists fighting for a cleaner, greener and healthier Sabah will not allow Maliau to be ripped apart for the timber and coal. There is speculation the Lost World also has gold and other precious
metals,” he said.
Hajiji, who is also Sulaman Assemblyman, said there are other signs that the ‘ubah administration’ may undo all the good, and the hard work put in by the previous state giver on the environment and the
economy.
“The people are watching whether the new administration would scrap several other key policy thrusts of the former Sabah government. The previous government has put in global policies and initiatives on forest conservation in the State over the last 15 years.
“Banning the export of logs alone does not mean conservation. Sabah must grow and enrich its forests with a variety of timber species. It would be most regrettable if we leave tracts of barren land to future generations,” he said.
It was a major milestone in conservation efforts when in logging was phased out in Ulu Segama, Malua and Kalumpang, he said, adding this translated into a forfeiture of at least RM1billion in timber royalties to the State.
Nonetheless, he said, it was done to revive degraded forests after 60 years of continuous logging, and these areas have the largest Orangutan population as well as a diversity of other wildlife in Sabah.
Hajiji said under the former state government, about 240,000 hectares were placed under Sustainable Forest Management, for the conservation of orangutan reforestation efforts, an area that is also part of the broader Heart of Borneo hub, and rich in biodiversity.
He said through Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), 53 per cent of Sabah or 3.9 million hectares of state land were permanently set aside as Forest Reserves, Protection Areas and Wildlife Conservation Areas.
“The previous state government also decided to set aside 30 per cent of its total landmass or 2.2 million hectares as Totally Protected Areas, which exceeded the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) target of only 10 per cent.
“Sabah restored and planted forests well over 600,000 hectares, presumably the largest such undertaking in the tropics,” he said.
He said the former state administration promoted the hub for tropical rainforest research involving renowned international research organisations such as The Royal Society of the United Kingdom, The Nature Conservancy of the United States of America, Sime Darby Foundation, Abraham Foundation, WWF-Malaysia IKEA, Petronas as well as key local institutions of higher learning.
“If anything, Putrajaya should be assisting the state government in sourcing sustainable and renewable energy,” said the former State Local Government and Housing Minister.
Hajiji said the Federal Government should also beef up the security of Sabah, internal and external, which has been compromised given the recent kidnappings in Tawau, besides botching the so-called registration of the children of IMM13 pass holders.
“The ‘Sabah ubah’ administration and Putrajaya must not compromise on these serious concerns of the people,” he said.
Hajiji said the new State administration is seen as weak, incompetent and has so far embarked on policies that are regressive.
“It is a Government that has flipped flopped on its manifesto and only spins ‘shiok sendiri’ or feel good statements both in the mainstream and social media without really having achieved anything substantive.”
“It is a Government that has rewarded its ministers, assemblymen, political appointees, and supporters after only five short months in office…it is a Government that is bogged down in gridlock over the spoils of office amidst searching questions on its legitimacy,” he said.-By LSK/BNN
