KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is working on turning some 400,000ha of degraded forest into industrial timber plantations, says Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The Chief Minister said this effort was being carried out through the state's Action Plan on Forest Plantation Development (2022–2036).
As of October this year, he said a total of 180,901ha have been successfully restored and converted.
"(This exercise) needs to be carried out to ensure a steady supply for the timber industry.
"It is expected to provide around 40,000 job opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled workers,” he said in his winding-up speech on the state's budget for 2025 here on Wednesday (Nov 20).
“With the development of sustainable forest plantations, the demand for timber from natural forests can be reduced, helping to meet international requirements to minimise the destruction of natural forests,” Hajiji added.
He said rubber, acacia, batai, laran and red mahogany (Eucalyptus pellita) would be among the main species in the forest plantations.
State Opposition leader Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Senallang) had raised the subject of forest reserves.
On roads within these reserves, Hajiji said the state government has established a special committee to identify such roads to be gazetted for community use under Section 14 of the Forest Enactment 1968.
He told Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohd Yassin (GRS-Nabawan) that the committee was chaired by the state Natural Resources Secretary and included representatives from the Public Works Department, Sabah Forestry Department, Land and Survey Department, and the state Finance Ministry.
He said a draft gazette had been prepared for 28 such roads in districts including Tenom, Nabawan, Kinabatangan, Kota Kinabalu, Tongod, Keningau, Sipitang, Kota Marudu and Sook.
“The state government hopes (the gazetting) will recognise the rights and privileges of villagers who use these roads through the protected forests,” said Hajiji.
He added that the roads were vital for these residents to access nearby markets to sell their produce, as well as for healthcare, education, and other services.
