Sixteen Sabah native groups in support of NCA, says Kitingan’s political secretary

KOTA KINABALU: A total of 16 native NGOs and associations have voiced their support for the implementation of the Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA) for the sale of carbon credit in Sabah.

Anuar Ghani, political secretary to Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, said these organisations, including the Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) have signed a joint statement to support the NCA and its implementation.

This was after, he said, a briefing done by himself and representatives from Hoch Standard Pte Ltd, the Singaporean-based company engaged by the state government over the deal, at the Dewan Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan in the interior Penampang district on Wednesday (July 26).

"They said that after listening to the briefing, they have full understanding of the NCA and give their free, prior and informed Consent (FPIC) and support to the NCA," Anuar said, in a statement here on Thursday (July 27).

"It is their fervent hope that the people in particular the natives of Sabah who will be affected and involved will get the benefit of the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) of the United Nations.

"They urge the state government to immediately implement the NCA and abide by the 17 SDGs," he added.

According to Anuar, besides the KDCA, the other organisations in support of the NCA were Persatuan Tobilung Bersatu Sabah (Tobisa), Persatuan Bisaya Bersatu Sabah (PBBS), Persatuan Sino Kadazandusun Murut Sabah, Persatuan Suang Lotud Sabah, Persatuan Suku Kaum Tinagas Zon Utara Sabah, Persatuan Bangsa Tombonuo Sabah as well as the Persatuan Rungus Bersatu Sabah.

Others who make up the list were Persatuan Kebudayaan & Kebajikan Etnik Kujau, Gana, Nabai Sabah (KGNS), Persatuan Kebudayaan Kaum Tagahas Kampung Goshen, Kota Marudu (Tagahas), Persatuan Etnik Dusun Gobukon Sabah (PEDGS), Pertubuhan Kebudayaan Etnik Sandayo Sabah (PRESS), Persatuan Suku Lobu Sabah, Pertubuhan Kimaragang Malaysia, Persatuan Dusun Luba Sabah (PLDS) and Talantang.

Anuar’s statement comes hours after Kitingan, who is the chairman of the steering and management committee for the implementation of the NCA, said the controversial deal was on track but claimed they were "people" trying to derail the deal.

Kitingan had also claimed there was no official objection from the State Attorney-General (AG) despite a purported media statement by the latter.

On Feb 9, 2022, State AG Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof had said that the NCA was not enforceable in its present form and that they were carrying out due diligence on the details.

She had pointed out that among the unresolved issues were a designated area, pilot area and map, and a development management plan as well as consent from affected communities.

Kitingan on Thursday (July 27), however, told reporters that her objections were not officially forwarded to the government or the steering committee chaired by him.

"Those are not the AG’s words, it (statement) was not from the AG. If it was from the AG, they (her office) should have (officially) given it to me but they gave it directly to the press so, that means it’s not from the government.

"The statement should have been forwarded to the minister and state Cabinet ... somebody is playing around," he said.