LAHAD DATU: Deep in Sabah’s Ulu Segama-Malua Forest Reserve – one of Malaysia’s largest and most biologically diverse rainforest reserves – a newly-launched research station next to the iconic Danum Valley aims to play a pivotal role in biodiversity protection, rainforest restoration and climate research.
Though located far from urban centres – about 80km or a two-hour drive from Lahad Datu – what happens here affects all Malaysians, from the air we breathe to the forests that help regulate our climate.
Known as the Langom Control Centre and Research Station, the facility sits within a reforested buffer zone adjacent to Danum and near the Infapro regeneration site, placing it at a critical junction of preserved and recovering rainforest ecosystems.
“This station came about because Danum is already full,” said Dr Waidi Sinun, group manager of Conservation and Environmental Management at Yayasan Sabah.
“We needed a new base to accommodate research and education groups that could no longer be placed there – and Langom was the perfect spot.”
Named after the nearby Sungai Langom, the RM5.6mil station was built under the 12th Malaysia Plan with funding from the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry.
It offers modest accommodation, a basic lab for specimen collection and drying, and strategic positioning near known wildlife routes – making it ideal for long-term ecological studies.
Waidi said interest in Langom has already picked up, especially from international groups such as the South-East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (SEARRP), which collaborates with UK universities.
“A group from England is flying in next week for a field course,” he said. “They used to go to Danum, but it’s at full capacity. Langom gives us breathing room to continue research without sacrificing conservation.”
Langom’s educational role is also gaining traction.
Students from local schools under the Sabah Nature Club are already using the facility for environmental camps, and field courses by universities from the United Kingdom are booked for the coming weeks.
Waidi added that the station’s mission isn’t just scientific – it’s generational.
“Our job is to find out how much disturbance a rainforest can take, how species like the orang utan, hornbill and even clouded leopard are affected, and how we can restore what’s been degraded. Let’s be honest – Malaysia won’t stop using natural resources. But we need the knowledge to manage them wisely,” he added.
Waidi pointed to ongoing orang utan research by Kyoto University since 2004, describing it as one of many long-term collaborations made possible because of Sabah’s stable conservation zones.
“The tourists you see spotting orang utan at Borneo Rainforest Lodge – that’s possible because researchers spent years here understanding how wildlife behaves in the wild,” he said.
The launch was officiated by Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, who said in his speech that Langom reflects the state’s commitment to balance development and conservation.
“This initiative is part of our long-term commitment to protect our forests while ensuring our people benefit from them – not just today, but for future generations,” said Hajiji.
Shahelmey said the station would also serve as a hub for the state’s environmental education programme, which began in 1988.
“I met students from two local schools who spent three days here,” he said. “It’s clear this experience left a deep impact. They weren’t just learning about trees and rivers – they were learning about their future.”
