The Star 13 Dec 10;
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah environmental groups are concerned about a move by the state Forestry Department to allow limited logging and hunting activities at selected forest reserves in interior districts.
Sabah Environmental Protection Association president Wong Tack said the department should not allow any form of hunting until they had determined the number of wildlife in the area.
He reminded the state government that there was a dearth of wildlife in forests near settlements.
“The animals have been illegally hunted for a long time. Now, the authorities want to legalise hunting. It is beyond comprehension. Have they determined the actual wildlife stock and what does the term limited hunting mean? Will it mean only certain species or certain numbers?
“If they are allowing the hunting of deer, how many animals can a hunter bag? And who is going to enforce the rules when the Forestry and Wildlife Departments have acknowledged they don’t have enough enforcement personnel?” he asked.
Wong also questioned the Forestry Department’s move of allowing logging of a 4,000ha of forest at Kaingarain in the interior Tambunan district.
“Our worry is that allowing logging in a forest will result in the area being degraded to an extent that the authorities will eventually convert it into another oil palm plantation.
“We have seen it again and again in Sabah. Enough is enough. We should be preserving what little forests we have left,” he added.
Department deputy director Rahim Sulaiman had disclosed that limited hunting would be allowed in mid-2011 at Ulu Rompon and Monsok covering a total area of 12,000ha.
He said on Saturday that the move was aimed at addressing the locals’ craving for hunting while there were ample game for limited hunt.
On logging in Kaingaran, Rahim said the department had appointed three trustees – the Tambunan District Officer, Tambunan Forest Office and the areas Native Chief – to issue permits for the area.
He said those who want to log the area would be required to replant the area with trees once they had completed their operations.
