KOTA KINABALU – Sabah has launched a new strategic plan to enhance the Heart of Borneo (HoB) landscape’s conservation and management and address its challenges.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government had made significant strides in implementing various programmes and projects under the Second Sabah Strategic Plan of Actions (SPA).
However, given the rapidly-changing economic, social and environmental landscapes, a new SPA (2021-2030) is needed to build on its predecessor’s achievements.
“The achievements are underpinned by the HoB initiative’s strength, the state and federal governments’ commitments, policy continuity, collaboration between key stakeholders, and the ability to leverage the HoB brand for funding and new partnerships,” he said at the HoB Symposium opening at the Sabah International Convention Centre here today.
His speech themed The Need for Holistic and Pragmatic Approaches on Conservation Efforts was delivered by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, who also holds the state agriculture and fisheries portfolio.
The chief minister said the new SPA introduces several new features and alignments representing strategic shifts to move the HoB initiative closer towards conservation.
“The Sabah HoB SPA 2021-2030 focus areas are closely aligned with the state and national development plans’ main goals including the Haja Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan 2021-2025, Sabah Development Corridor Blueprint 2021-2030 and the 12th Malaysia Plan 2021-2025,” he said.
He added the SPA’s launch today was the beginning of efforts to enhance HoB awareness through measures including conducting roadshows throughout the state.
The HoB, he said, also contributed to the country’s commitments to international agreements such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and the World Heritage Convention.
He said the Sabah HoB represented around 60% of Malaysia’s Heart of Borneo landscape and it holds one of the world’s remaining bastions of treasured biodiversity.
The chief minister said that 64% of Sabah’s landmass are protected forest since 1990, of which 52% were gazetted as forest reserves, state parks, wildlife sanctuary and wildlife conservation areas.
“I am also pleased to hear that since the inception of the HoB Initiative, various achievements have been accomplished by the state government.
“For instance, the totally protected areas (TPAs) gazettement of up to 1.9 million ha, or about 26.4% of Sabah’s total landmass.
“The state government is also committed to expanding the size of its TPAs to 30% of Sabah’s landmass or about 2.2 million ha by 2025.
“This is in line with our Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya Development Plan, in which sustaining the environment through the HoB Initiative has been included as one focus under the Green Infrastructure and Sustainability Networks Thrust,” he said.
Hajiji thanked the federal government, particularly the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, for supporting the HoB Initiative through the Malaysian Plan since 2009.
The federal government has provided a total of RM47 million to Sabah for the HoB initiative since 2009, and pledged RM13 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan.
“Thank you also to WWF-Malaysia for their continuous support to the Sabah Forestry Department, particularly in formulating the SPA,” he said. – The Vibes, December 2, 2022
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