Sabah wants to formulate responsible mining guidelines

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will look into formulating responsible mining guidelines, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

The state government will also look into setting sustainability standards for infrastructure projects.

He said these were among Sabah's initiatives to help Malaysia to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

"I would like to thank all parties, especially WWF, for their commitment in bringing these initiatives to fruition," he said at the WWF-Malaysia 50th anniversary dinner at a resort here yesterday.

His speech was read by state Local Government and Housing Minister cum State Finance Minister II, Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.

Hajiji said the state government understood the importance of conservation, especially in Sabah, a famed biodiversity hotspot worldwide.

"We recognise that environmental protection and sustainable development can go hand in hand and have made efforts to ensure that our unique ecosystem continues to be protected," he said.

The chief minister said the Tun Mustapha Marine Park was also a significant marine conservation area.

In 2016, all islands and islets in the area were gazetted as a marine park, which included the three major islands of Banggi, Balambangan and Malawali.

These efforts would also contribute to eco-tourism and boost the economy, he said.

"The Sabah government is committed to ensuring that our good track record of environmental conservation continues.

"Towards this end, the state government is committed to realising the various conservation initiatives that will contribute towards our goal of green sustainability.

"Among others, we are committed to endorsing the Sabah wildlife policy and the turtle action plan, developed by the Sabah Wildlife Department," he said.

Through these policies, the value of wildlife to Sabah's economy and social well-being would be realised and enhanced, he said.

Hajiji said the state government was also committed to gazette Darvel Bay in Lahad Datu as a marine protected area.

The recent memorandum of understanding between Sabah Parks and WWF-Malaysia for a five-year collaboration in research and studies at Darvel Bay, marked Sabah's first step towards this effort.