TELUPID: Sabah government has been urged to consider an alternative route for the Telupid stretch of the Pan Borneo Highway here for the sake of the wildlife animals, especially the endangered Bornean elephants.
Coalition 3H, a team of Sabah non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and research institutions associated with Coalition Humans Habitats Highways, said the existing proposed routes would likely result in incidents which could harm, both people and elephants.
The reason being that the alignment of the Telupid section of the four-lane highway runs through 30 kilometres of the Bornean elephant range which would block the wildlife's usual migration paths in the Class I Protected Tawai Forest Reserve.
As the forest reserve lies on ultramafic soils making it vulnerable to major fires during droughts, with roads adding to fire risks.
A report "Optimal Routing Options for the Telupid Section of the Pan Borneo Highway" also suggested that extra budget should be spent on a new route avoiding the Tawai Forest Reserve rather than using it for costly wildlife mitigation measures in future.
"If the four-lane highway is to be built through the Tawai Forest Reserve, effectively severing the northern portion of the Reserve, it would have serious impacts on elephants and other wildlife populations.
"Avoiding the Tawai Forest Reserve will also ensure the protection of the forest watershed, which is the main source of potable water for Telupid town," Coalition 3H spokesperson Cynthia Ong said in a statement.
The NGOs also pointed out several routes of the project that would significantly displace villages.
"We also recommend that a relevant government agency champions the formation of a Joint Committee dedicated to consolidating field data for infrastructure development planning enhancement in Sabah.
"Together with other stakeholders, Coalition 3H can contribute our on the field's knowledge effectively with the State Government through the Joint Committee," she added.
Ong added that the human-elephant conflict in the Telupid was successfully managed with the collaboration of various parties including the Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department and Kopisuladan Di Aki (local Community Elephant Ranger Team or CERT), with support from Forever Sabah, Seratu Aatai, Hutan and Danau Girang Field Centre.