KOTA KINABALU: No technology can replicate the benefits that nature provides for free, says environmentalists who are making fresh calls to have certain sections of the Pan Borneo Highway to be rerouted.
Non-governmental organisations like Seratu Aatai and Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) stated that long-term solutions would serve better than short-term measures to reduce human-animal conflicts in Sabah.
These were mentioned during a recent Ecological Integrity Meets Social Values seminar - Beyond the Band-Aid: Tackling the Root Causes of Human-Elephant Conflict in Central Sabah - organised by the Sabah Forestry Department.
DGFC director Professor Benoit Goossens said scientific data following years of satellite tracking of several male and female elephants in Telupid region, including Tawai Forest Reserve, have been produced by DGFC, Seratu Aatai and the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD).
“It clearly shows that the Pan Borneo Highway alignment would cross elephant habitat and any linear infrastructure would have a negative impact on the elephant population in the region as well as on many other totally protected species,” he said.
He said these species comprised the orang utan, sun bears, Sunda clouded leopards and the rediscovered Bornean peacock-pheasant.
Goossens warned that “further habitat destruction would not only exacerbate human-elephant conflicts but also diminish the ecosystem services provided by intact forests”.
“No technology can replicate the benefits that nature provides for free,” he said.
Dr. Nurzhafarina Othman, founder of Seratu Aatai suggested decision-makers to consider alternative approaches, such as re-routing the highway or constructing elevated roads, like the Sungai Purun viaduct in Peninsular Malaysia, built by the Public Works Department.
These solutions can minimise habitat disruption while allowing development to proceed, she said.
She shared alarming insights about the increasing cases of human-elephant conflict in the region, saying they were already receiving complaints from communities in areas where elephants have not been seen since the 1980s.
“These conflicts are arising even before the construction of the Pan-Borneo Highway has begun. What will happen if we further disrupt these intact habitats?,” asked Nurzhafarina.
“The situation will undoubtedly worsen, with devastating consequences for both people and wildlife,” she said.
She emphasised that the root causes of human-elephant conflict — habitat loss and fragmentation — must be addressed to prevent long-term repercussions.
“We cannot keep relying on temporary solutions like electric fences or compensation schemes. These measures are costly, unsustainable, and fail to address the underlying problems,” Nurzhafarina said.
She said prevention was always cheaper and more effective than trying to fix the damage later.
She said the urgency of the issue was underscored by a formal letter sent in October by the Asian Elephant Specialist Group (AsESG) to the Chief Minister of Sabah.
The letter, which has also reached Sabah Works Minister Datuk Shahelmy Yahya and the Sabah Forestry Department, expressed grave concerns about the highway’s potential impact on elephant populations.
“By preserving these ecosystems, we are not just protecting elephants, we are safeguarding the well-being and livelihoods of local communities,” stressed Nurzhafarina.
“Communities are already frustrated, and the costs of inaction will only escalate. This is our opportunity to take proactive measures and make decisions that benefit both people and wildlife for generations to come,” she added.
The seminar brought together around 200 participants including experts, university lecturers, non-governmental organisations, government officials and students, to explore solutions for pressing environmental challenges in Sabah.
