Roy Goh New Straits Times 25 Oct 12;
CONSERVATION: Mount Magdalena, Ulu Segama, Danum Valley get more protection
CONSERVATION was the big winner yesterday as three forested areas, which put together, measure bigger than the state of Malacca, were reclassified to be further protected.
The state assembly passed a bill to declare 484,890ha at Mount Magdalena in Sandakan as well as 127,890ha at Ulu Segama and part of the Danum Valley in Lahad Datu, as Class I Forest Reserves which prohibits any form of land conversion and timber exploitation.
In the same bill to amend the Forests (Constitution of Forest Reserves and Amendment) Enactment 1984 tabled by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister's Department Datuk Radin Malleh, three other forests were also reclassified for conservation.
The areas were Solimpopon Forest Reserve in Kalabakan (1,902ha), Dalit Forest Reserve in Keningau (740ha) and Menumbok Forest Reserve in Beaufort (2,000ha).
The move to protect the total 4,642ha of forest came in tandem with other forest reserves which were reclassified as state land.
He said the Mount Magdalena area, formerly known as the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve Class II, was suitable as a wildlife corridor and served as a buffer for the world renowned Maliau Basin Conservation Area, which recently hosted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton.
As for Ulu Segama, which also included the Danum Valley Forest Reserve Class I (Extension), Radin said it was suitable as a water catchment area and has high conservation value because of its vast biodiversity.
Both the Gunung Rara and Ulu Segama areas, including a section of the Danum Valley, were previously classified as commercial forests.
In tabling the bill, Radin had also proposed the reclassification of seven degraded protected forestsmeasuring 4,560ha to be declared state lands as they are occupied by indigenous communities.
This includes two plots that would be issued with communal titles -- Tanjung Nagas (708ha) and Mount Pock (1,388ha) in Semporna.
Other similar areas to be given recognition as settlements were Gumantong-Guluang-Gesusu in Kudat (590ha), Bukau Api-Api (1,239ha), Dalit in Keningau (512ha), Kuala Bonggaya and Kuala Labuk (102ha) and Lahad Datu (21ha).
"These areas were found to be unsuitable to be retained as forest reserves," Radin said.
In a supplementary question, Datuk Liew Teck Chan (SAPP-Likas) asked if there were still valuable timber within the reclassified areas.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman responded there was no timber in the areas, adding that those currently living on the lands had been there for generations.
"We also plan to issue titles for people who do not have lands in the areas."
