KOTA KINABALU: There has yet to be any decision whether conservation areas under Yayasan Sabah will be part of the controversial Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA).
Yayasan Sabah deputy director Datuk Sam Mannan said as per the state Chief Minister's replies during his winding up speech at the state assembly sitting yesterday, they would have to wait for further information.
The former Sabah Forestry director said the area of conservation forests under the foundation, which are Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon (DaMaI), was about 200,000 hectares.
The 100-year NCA signed between the Sabah government and Singapore's Hoch Standard Pte Ltd is expected to trade natural capital and carbon.
Initially, it will only involve at least 600,000 hectares of existing forest reserves in Sabah. However, if the deal is profitable, it will expand up to 2 million hectares.
"As the Chief Minister has explained, we just have to wait and see the merits and demerits, how is it going to assist us to make monetary gains from things which are protected.
"Instead of getting nothing, perhaps this is a way (to monetise the forests), we have to see what are the deficiencies and focus on (addressing them)," he said when met at the Sabah International Convention Center here for two memoranda of understanding signing ceremony between Yayasan Sabah and Sabah Environmental Trust.
During a public engagement session, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan had said it was estimated that there would be 20 tonnes worth of carbon credit per ha valued at about USD20 (RM83.59) per tonne.
He added that Sabah could earn up to RM9 billion from the nature capital in coming years as compared to a depleting income of RM200 million from current forest revenue.
As for the MoU, the first signing is for a five-year study on threatened species at DaMaI while the second is for the appointment of consultants on formulation of a strategic plan for the Silam Coastal Conservation Area.
Present were Yayasan Sabah director Datuk Gulamhaidar Khan and Sabah Environmental Trust chief executive officer Dr Rahimatsah Amat, as well as Sabah Wildlife director Augustine Tuuga.