KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is further expanding its Totally Protected Areas (TPA) through the gazetting of about 216,000 hectares of new areas involving commercial forest reserves and state Land, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The Chief Minister said this would increase Sabah’s TPA to 2.227 million hectares, or about 30.06 per cent of the state’s total land area.
“This milestone not only allows the 30 per cent TPA target to be met, but it also boosts Sabah’s image as the state with the largest TPA in Malaysia,” he said at the Sabah Forestry Department’s Excellent Service Awards ceremony here.
Hajiji said the importance of forests as protectors of biodiversity, climate stabilisers and livelihood sources cannot be denied in commending the Forestry Department's continued efforts to meet the TPA target.
He said the state Cabinet had agreed to the Forestry Department’s proposal to gazette several more important protected areas under Section 5A of the Forest Enactment 1968 last year.
“This is an indication that the strategy outlined through the Sabah Forest Policy 2018 is capable of guiding the Department towards achieving the highest standards in the state’s conservation efforts.
“This places Sabah on the global conservation map, not only in terms of the size of its protected areas, but also the narrative of continuous efforts and the state government’s commitment to achieving the policy targets that have been set,” he said in his speech read by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
The Chief Minister also urged all Forestry Department personnel to continue ensuring that revenue collection from the forestry sector is conducted transparently and with commitment.
“The Sabah Forestry Department collected RM161mil last year, and of this amount, RM92mil or 57 per cent was from timber royalties,” he added.
