Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai discussing with the ministry’s permanent secretary Datuk Josie Lai before he reads the winding up speech at teh Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting on Wednesday (Jan 16)
KOTA KINABALU: There is no single solution to the ongoing human-elephant conflict, particularly concerning the encroachment of the animals into residential areas and plantations.
Addressing the issue during the winding-up speech at the Sabah State Legislative Assembly sitting on Wednesday (April 16), Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai responded to concerns raised by Sarifuddin Hata (Warisan–Merotai) regarding the increasing number of elephants disturbing communities in the east coast.
He explained that the core reason for elephant encroachment is the growing overlap between their natural lowland habitats and areas now developed for plantations and settlements.
“These lowland areas, rich in natural food sources and close to rivers that provide water, form part of the elephants’ traditional migratory routes.
“However, development and deforestation have led to habitat loss, pushing elephants into human-occupied areas,” he said.
Bangkuai stressed that the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) plays a key role in mitigating the issue by advising plantation owners on how to reduce the risk of elephant intrusion, including recommending the installation of electric fencing at strategic locations to redirect the animals' movement towards safer zones.
The department also runs awareness programmes to educate communities on the importance of wildlife conservation, highlighting the role of elephants and other wildlife within Sabah’s rich ecosystem.
“Elephant translocation is only carried out after a thorough assessment, due to the high costs involved and the need to identify a suitable relocation site,” he added.
Bangkuai also addressed queries on gold mining activities at Mt. Wullersdorf in Tawau, stating that the operations were approved through a Special Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report by the Environmental Protection Department on March 16, 2017.
As for concerns over development projects in the Tawau Hills Park area, he clarified that discussions are still in the early stages between the Sabah Parks authority and a developer, aimed at upgrading existing facilities and accommodation.
“To date, no development has commenced, and thus, no EIA report has been approved. However, the ministry and Sabah Parks will ensure that any future development is carried out in an environmentally responsible manner, preserving the greenery, flora and fauna, and the clarity of river water in the park for long-term sustainability,” he said.
On another matter, he assured Justin Wong Yun Bin (Warisan–Sri Tanjong) and Datuk Darell Leiking (Warisan–Moyog) that efforts are underway to revive suspended domestic and international AirAsia flights, as requested by the public.
“The recent suspension was a business decision by AirAsia. I want to clarify that these flights were not cancelled, only suspended, which means the decision can still be revisited.
“The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) recently signed a five-year Memorandum of Collaboration with AirAsia, which allows us to engage in discussions with the airline to reconsider past decisions,” he said.
He added that in addition to AirAsia, the ministry and STB are also in talks with other carriers, such as Royal Brunei and Scoot, to boost inbound connectivity.
“For example, Royal Brunei operates international flights to London and Melbourne, and they also have direct flights to Kota Kinabalu,” said Bangkuai, who is also STB chairman.
This initiative, he stressed, is crucial for the state to meet its target of 3.5 million tourist arrivals this year.
