FOREST


CONSERVATION


SABAH’S TOURISM AND FOREST CONSERVATION


Sabah is turning to the tourism sector to replace forestry as one of the main contributors to the economy


Hon. Datuk Joniston Bangkuai is a first- term Sabah State Legislative Assembly member representing the constituency of Kiulu. He is deputy chairman of the Sabah Legislative Assembly Back Benchers Club and sits on the Public Accounts Committee. He is also chairman of the Sabah Tourism Board


Recognising that protecting the forest is crucial, and runs parallel with efforts to promote tourism, the Sabah Government has put forest conservation at the top of its agenda. With its timber revenue declining as it focuses on reversing the trend of deforestation, Sabah is turning to the tourism sector to replace forestry as one of the main contributors to the economy. Sabah is well aware that discerning tourists will prefer places where environmental conservation is given top priority. Sabah’s revenue from timber production has plunged from more than a billion Malaysian ringgit a year at its height to less than 100 million ringgit a year, as production from natural forests has drastically declined. Between 1970 and 2000, the state depended heavily on timber revenue to support development, which resulted in


IV | The Parliamentarian | 2015: Issue One - Sabah


determined to ensure that 53 per cent of the 3.9 million hectares of land in Sabah will remain under forest cover. The protected areas include forest reserves, parks, wildlife sanctuaries and wildlife conservation areas.


Hon. Datuk Joniston Bangkuai


the reduction of the productive capacity of forests.


Such dependence, coupled with past logging practices that were not environmentally friendly and compounded by forest fires, resulted in the degradation of Sabah’s forests and prompted the enforcement of strict management of the forest using proper methods, including practices certified by international organisations. Sabah is committed and


All these efforts have helped placed Sabah on the global map, with international non- governmental organisations acknowledging the state’s seriousness in protecting its forests and conserving the environment.


This, in turn, has generated interest from foreign visitors, as evident from the increasing number of tourist arrivals. In 2013, Sabah recorded more than 3.3 million visitor arrivals, generating tourism receipt of 5.56 billion ringgit.


It is heartening to note that the success boils down to the fact that the tourism industry in Sabah follows the direction


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