‘Scrap Forest Management Unit if bad for Sabah’
The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has dared PBS and the state government to do away with the Unit if it was the best option for the state
KOTA KINABALU Feb 25, 2012: The Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has dared state coalition partner Parti Bersatu to scrap the Forest Management Unit if it is the best option for Sabah.
This is SAPP’s response to PBS attacking its president Yong Teck Lee on the issue of the Forest Management Unit (FMU).
Yesterday, PBS Vice President, Datuk Herbert Timbon Lagadan singled out the decision by SAPP President, Datuk Yong Teck Lee for creating FMU, saying there is merit and truth in the public perception that the creation of the FMU was a form of land abuse.
He also said that many problems related to Native Customary Rights (NCR) on land was because the haphazard issuance of land titles which were approved to outsiders and denying land ownership to locals.
SAPP’s Youth Chief, Edward Dagul, said if Herbert sincerely believes that the FMU is detrimental to the natives’ right to owning land then he should say so to the Chief Minister instead of accusing Datuk Yong Teck Lee of wrongdoing.
“Herbert seems to forget that that he is part and parcel of the current administration which has not only maintained the FMU programme but also, judging from what has been reported in the media, is positively upbeat about the programme.”
Edward also pointed out that Chief Minster, Datuk Seri Musa Aman had in the past also stressed that the FMU programme was vital and for the record he “was praised for the success of the FMU programme at an official function in Sandakan in May last year.”
“So if the programme is so bad, why hasn’t Musa scrapped the programme?” he asked.
Edward accused Herbert of trying to distract people’s minds from the fact that no one from the PBS had commented on the statement by the State Attorney General on the status of NCR which is making the people wonder about Herbert’s stand on the matter.
“Is he in agreement with the State AG’s statement on the validity of the NCR status?” he asked.
Edward also asked Herbert whether he had actually read and understood the Sustainable Forest License Management Agreement (SFLMA) where in Clause 23 and 24 the protection of rights and privileges of natives or “forest community” is clearly stated.
“The programme works and it is the non-compliance on the terms under the SFLMA by the current licensees that is causing the problem,” he said.
The problem faced by the natives was being compounded by native land under the FMU, formed under YTL leadership.
BalasPadamInitially the establishment of this unit was to manage the forest in Sabah.
BalasPadamHopefully the government will look into this matter.
BalasPadamAll pros and cons need to be taken into consideration
BalasPadamThe implementation of Sustainable Forest Management practices during 1997 has helped Sabah to remarkably improve the way it manages its forests.
BalasPadamapart from that, malpractice that occurred in the past should be look into.
BalasPadamOnce this matter has been look into, counter measures should be taken and existing practices needs to be revamp so that there will not be a repetition of the same errors
BalasPadamSabah now has about 400,000 hectares of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forest areas and the largest in Malaysia.
BalasPadamThrough FMU, Sabah has also been able to safeguard the interests of local communities whose lives depend on the forest.
BalasPadamSustainable Forest Management helped Sabah manage its forest improve remarkably, particularly in terms of phasing out short term logging licences which did not adhere to sustainability principles.
Harap FMU akan terus membantu Sabah menjaga hutan kita dan juga melindungi hak penduduk yang tinggal di situ.
PadamFMU perlu dalam menjaga dan menguruskan hutan2 kita.
BalasPadamFMU ini adalah baik untuk perhutanan Sabah sebenarnya. Hutan simpanan kita boleh dijaga dibawah program FMU.
BalasPadamSAPP tidak perlulah mahu menjadikan ini isu politik semata-mata. Kerajaan negeri pasti mencuba yang berbaik untuk memastikan apa yang terbaik untuk rakyat.
BalasPadam