KINABATANGAN: Nearly 3,000 residents in three Batu Puteh villages are living in fear after more than 20 elephants repeatedly entered smallholdings and settlements nearby since July 25.
At least 20 oil palm plots in Kampung Perpaduan Datuk Mohd Ugi, Kampung Batu Puteh and Kampung Manggaris have been affected, threatening villagers’ safety and livelihoods.
Smallholder Abdul Azim Ramlun, 39, estimated that about 60% of the younger section of his farm had been damaged.
He said this was the first time elephants had entered the farm, where four-year-old palms had been producing fruit for about a year.
“The elephants pulled out the central shoots where new leaves grow. Some trees may recover, but it will take time,” he said when met at the village during Kinabatangan MP Datuk Mohd Kurniawan Naim Moktar’s visit on Tuesday (Aug 4).
Azim said the herd usually appeared at night and remained until early morning, sometimes staying in the smallholding for several days.
Residents said the problem had not occurred previously because an electric fence prevented elephants from moving out of the nearby Pin Supu Forest Reserve.
However, the fence, installed with help of a non-governmental organisation, stopped functioning about a year ago.
Since entering the village area, the herd has remained there, moving from one smallholding to another.
Residents said the elephants generally avoided nearby commercial oil palm plantations, which have their own electric fencing.
Kampung Perpaduan Datuk Mohd Ugi Village Development and Security Committee chairman Azman Amirbek said two volunteer teams had been formed with the Kinabatangan Wildlife Department as an immediate response.
Villagers gather in groups and use sirens to move the elephants away, but the effort has largely shifted the herd from one side of the village to the other.
Attempts to drive them back into the Pin Supu Forest Reserve have also provided only temporary relief, as the elephants return within a few days.
Naim said the current approach was only a temporary measure.
He said a plan would be drawn up with the Wildlife Department and the Kinabatangan District Office to seek funding for fences at known elephant hotspots.
Naim also proposed requiring plantation companies near settlements to build barriers to prevent elephants from entering villages.
“We will seek a special allocation from the Chief Minister, similar to what was implemented in Telupid.
“We do not want these incidents to continue year after year. We need a solution that allows wildlife and people to coexist,” he said.
He added that protecting villagers and their livelihoods must go hand in hand with conserving Kinabatangan’s wildlife, which attracts thousands of tourists and supports the local economy.
