KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s lush forests hold more than scenic beauty and diverse wildlife. They are also a source of livelihood and ancestral wisdom for many.
For Sebastian Tamin, the forest has long been a place to gather medicinal herbs, a tradition passed down through generations. But that lifeline is slowly disappearing.
“It has been especially difficult over the past five years. Development has pushed deeper into the forests, leaving fewer places for us to forage,” said Tamin from Kampung Tinuman Sugud, about 40km from Donggongon in Penampang.
A lifelong herb gatherer, the 47-year-old admitted that even replenishing his supply has recently become a challenge.
In places like Penampang, where his family has collected herbs for generations, once-thriving trails have given way to palm oil plantations, rubber estates and construction sites.
Even once-remote areas are now either carved up or designated as protected reserves, cutting off access for traditional gatherers.
What was once a bounty of wild herbs, such as Tongkat Ali and Sikat, has either vanished or become too difficult to find.
“The problem is not just the forest disappearing. It is what that loss means for our ability to make a living.
These herbs are not just for our use, we sell them in local markets. Now with so few available, prices have gone up, and the variety that once sustained us is almost gone,” he told The Star.
Tamin, who inherited the craft from his ancestors, views his role as more than just a trade. It is also a duty to preserve and pass down traditional medicinal knowledge.
“We are not like those who get famous on TikTok or YouTube promoting traditional medicine. This knowledge was handed down to us.
There is even a taboo, we don’t take videos or photos while gathering herbs for promotion.
“When we enter unfamiliar forests, we perform rituals out of respect. This is not something we take lightly,” he explained.
But what was once a sustainable livelihood has turned into a daily struggle marked by scarcity and uncertainty. The loss of forest cover also carries broader environmental implications.
He believes that Sabah’s forests are not only vital to herb gatherers like himself, but also play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity, regulating the local climate and maintaining soil health.
Their destruction contributes to rising carbon emissions and the worsening of climate change, with far-reaching consequences.
Tamin said even herbs once easily found nearby their area, used to treat everything from fatigue to back pain, are now increasingly scarce. One particularly prized herb, locally called tulibas, known for its climbing roots and healing properties, is among the hardest to find.
“Usually I only go when my stock is low, but even then, I rarely find what I need. Sometimes, I return with whatever herbs I can gather, just so I don’t come back empty-handed,” said Tamin.
Tamin once gathered herbs frequently, but now only ventures into the nearby forests of Kampung Timpangoh Sugud about once a week. To maintain his supply, he now relies on friends and relatives from other areas, such as Kibunut, Moyog, Merapok, Gunung Mas, and even as far as Lawas, for help.
“But even then, it is not much. People cannot afford to leave their farms to search for herbs anymore. We rely on one another just to keep this tradition alive.”
Tamin still processes everything himself, from cleaning, cutting, and drying, before selling the herbs at the weekly Donggongon tamu (traditional market).
“Sometimes, customers from other districts come looking for herbs. I remember my father used to sell in bulk to factories. But we were once cheated, and now I avoid middlemen. With stock so low, I cannot take that risk.”
He estimates he makes about RM3,000 a month, just enough to get by, though a portion goes into sourcing herbs from elsewhere.
Tamin’s story is not unique. As the agricultural industry expands across Sabah, many traditional herb gatherers face the same struggle.
Forests cleared for plantations and logging have left communities with shrinking access to resources.
While Tamin has tried cultivating herbs, many species do not thrive outside their native environment.
Worse, younger generations are showing little interest in taking up the trade.
“It is hard to say if any young people are interested. Even my own children aren’t. And even if they were, where would they go to find herbs? If we step onto someone else’s land, we are accused of trespassing.”
The loss of access is not just about income; it severs a cultural connection. “For many Indigenous communities here, herbs are part of our identity.
They are not just for healing. They connect us to our ancestors. If we lose them, we lose that link,” said Tamin.
While herb gardens and botanical parks have been established by government agencies to showcase Sabah’s plant diversity, they offer little relief to those who rely on wild herbs for survival.
Without real access to natural forests, such initiatives remain symbolic.
“As more areas are cleared or restricted, traditional herb gathering becomes nearly impossible. We need development, but not at the cost of erasing everything that makes us who we are,” he said.
Tamin believes the plight of Sabah’s herb gatherers is a stark reminder that unchecked development could wipe out not only forests, but the deep-rooted traditions and knowledge woven into them.
