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October 26, 2009 15:35 PM
Many Organisations Uninterested In Forest Conservation - CM
KOTA KINABALU, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Many organisations are showing an indifference to extending financial assistance in forest conservation efforts in Sabah.
Expressing disappointment over the attitude of the organisations, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman attributed it to a lack of information on the state government's efforts on forest conservation.
"Publicity has been quite negligible, to the extent that it seems the people do not know what we (state government) have been doing here.
"We are really serious in conserving our forests and are very committed in the Heart of Borneo programme," he told reporters after opening the Regional Forum on Enhancing Forest Ecosystems Connectivity and Corridors within the Heart of Borneo (HoB) here MOnday.
The HoB is a joint programme involving Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia in conserving the rainforests in Borneo.
Earlier, Musa feared forest fragmentation would become an increasing threat to bio-diversity.
"Studies show that Sabah's forests are home to about 11,000 orang utan, 30 to 40 Sumatran rhinoceros and about 2,300 Borneo pygmy elephants.
"Although Sabah has set aside 53 per cent of the forests under the Forest Reserves and State Parks, these iconic wildlife will slowly cease to exist if forests or their natural habitats are further fragmented," he said in his opening speech.
At the forum, two memorandi of understanding (MoU) were signed by the state government, WWF-Malaysia and PPB Oil Palms Berhad.
The five-year MoU with WWF-Malaysia, with funds amounting to about RM4.35 million from ITOCHU Corporation of Japan, is to restore 967 hectares of degraded areas in North Ulu Segama for the enhancement of the orang utan habitat.
The second five-year MoU would involve the management, enrichment and rehabilitation of 382.42 hectares of the Segama River riparian area and the development of successful riparian management, enrichment and rehabilitation methods which could be adapted for implementation throughtout PPB's operations.
-- BERNAMA
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