28Jun

Sabah to create state wildlife policy

KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment kickstarted its efforts to create a Sabah Wildlife Policy this week through its inaugural Introductory Workshop, jointly organised by the Sabah Wildlife Department and WWF-Malaysia. The workshop is the first of a series of consultations and discussions towards developing a consolidated Wildlife Policy for the State that will ensure effective wildlife conservation in Sabah. At present, there are many existing wildlife action plans and initiatives in Sabah designed to tackle different wildlife and environmental issues. This has led to a series of disconcerted efforts to resolve issues to do with wildlife, which may prove to be ineffective both in the short and long term. Recognising this, the government has decided to develop a more robust and encompassing state-wide wildlife policy in order to address the increasing threats facing wildlife protection and conservation in Sabah. These threats include habitat degradation, human-wildlife conflict and illegal poaching. “The government is hitting a milestone through the establishment of the wildlife policy. This policy will provide a framework for collaborations towards discovering new opportunities, to realign and consolidate relevant policies, action plans and initiatives for greater synergy,” said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew. The policy will pave the way for a shared long-term vision and policy framework for wildlife protection and conservation in the State. Ultimately, it is hoped that a state-wide policy will ensure that the true value of wildlife to Sabah’s economy and social well-being is both realised and enhanced. “WWF-Malaysia lends its full support to the Ministry in the development of the Sabah Wildlife Policy. An overarching policy like this can only serve to benefit Sabah’s vast biodiversity and help make conservation more effective in the future,” said Dr Robecca Jumin, Sabah’s Head of Conservation for WWF-Malaysia. Source: Borneo Post Online
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04Sep

Two-hour ROR POP-UP event by Future Alam Borneo team in city centre

KOTA KINABALU: The Future Alam Borneo (FAB) team behind the Borneo Rhythms of Rimba (ROR) Wildlife Festival dropped over to the state capital over the weekend from Sandakan and set up a roving environmental ROR POP-UP stage in the city centre, at the old Social Welfare building. With the objective of bringing environmental awareness to the public, and supported by the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry and Kota Kinabalu City Hall, FAB curated a short two-hour programme on marine conservation issues here in Sabah. With the collaboration of WWF-Malaysia and Scubazoo Images, the event projected large visuals on the wall of the abandoned building, courtesy of a high-powered laser projector from Panasonic. Video footage featured the beauty of Sabah Borneo’s marine biodiversity, as well as shocking images highlighting the issues of turtle poaching, shark finning, and plastic pollution in Sabah oceans. The evening also saw musicians Hezekiah Asim, a sape player from Sarawak and the electronic sounds of Avery Fos (a Sabahan & Bruneian duo) complement the visual messages. Dr Robecca Jumin, Head of Marine Programme, WWF-Malaysia Marine Programme who gave a short presentation that night, enthused, “This collaboration between creative musicians and conservation work made the message even more emotional and impactful tonight.” The ROR POP-UP event was a precursor to the upcoming Borneo RORWildlife Festival to be held next month on Sept 15-16 at Nexus Resort & Spa, Karambunai, with an international list of world-renowned conservationists, creatives and musicians; all in Sabah to help the state promote its natural heritage to Malaysians and to the world. Anton Ngui, Chairman of Future Alam Borneo, added at the end, “We hope there will be more opportunities such as these to share and engage with our fellow Sabahans as we look to preserve our unique natural heritage.”   Source: New Sabah Times
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27Oct

KK Court group intensifies tree planting effort

KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu Court Working Group on Environment is continuing their reforestation campaign with more trees to be planted in Lahad Datu. The group is hoping to have new tree saplings planted in 134.56 hectares in the Bukit Piton Class I Forest Reserve in Lahad Datu. The effort is supported by The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia. Its chief executive officer and executive director of WWF Malaysia, Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma said the effort in Bukit Piton is a collaboration between Sabah Forestry Department (SFD), WWF-Malaysia and WWF Singapore, and funded by Binkaitree, Holywell Foundation, The Silent Foundation and Foord Asset Management Singapore. “We will plant 156 trees per hectare in this plot, which translates to 20,990 trees in total. The planting has just commenced this month and by end of December this year, we estimate that 30 hectares will be planted with 4,680 trees,” he said on the amount of trees that still needs to be planted for the ‘One Heart One Tree’ programme at the Kota Kinabalu Court yesterday. According to him, WWF Malaysia has been reforesting the formerly degraded Bukit Piton since 2007 for the survival of tree-dependant orangutans which are thriving in the area. “To date we have planted almost one million trees in Bukit Piton and we have observed orangutans using them as food, shelter and for travel, five years after the planting, “Planting trees is a long-term investment, but the benefits are priceless, we get clean air, clean water, food, medicine and many more from the trees that we have around us. “Our children and their children can enjoy these benefits from the trees that we have planted, even long after are gone from this earth,” he added. He hoped the ‘One Heart One Tree’ movement will continue to grow and achieve its target of one million trees to be planted in Sabah by the end of the year. In the same event, Dionysius also disclosed that they are currently raising funds for another reforestation project in Trusan Sugut Class I Forest Reserve, Beluran, in collaboration with SFD. The aim is to restore a degraded area of 150 hectares with trees. The reforestation project will cost RM1.8 million. Meanwhile, High Court Judge, Datuk Nurchaya Arshad said that there is no denying the fact that the environment has to be protected and conserved to make future life possible, among other things. “Indeed, man’s needs are increasing and accordingly the environment is also being altered. What is required is the sustenance, conservation and improvement of the changing and fragile environment hence this campaign today,” she said. The campaign launched in Feb 3, this year, was inspired by Sabah and Sarawak Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum who got the ball rolling. The final event will be held in Kundasang, Ranau on Dec16. Also present were Conservation director of WWF-Malaysia Dr Sundari Ramakrishna, High Court Judge Ravinthran Paramaguru, Judicial Commissioner Ismail Brahim, Bexter Agas Michael, SLA President Brenndon Keith Soh, Sessions Court Judges namely Azreena Aziz, Elsie Primus, Noorhafizah Mohd Salim, Indra Ayub, Magistrates Cindy Mc Juce Balitus and Jessica Ombou Kakayun. Source : New Sabah Times
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