Scenic Kinabalu Park under threat

Michael Kaung

Lack of enforcement and rampant hill-cutting are destroying the environment along Crocker Range.

KOTA KINABALU: Unplanned development is destroying the beauty of the highlands of Sabah and threatening the existence of the Kinabalu National Park which is a gazetted  World Heritage site.

The scenic, meandering stretch of highway from the farming town of Tamparuli at the foothills of the Crocker Range is rapidly being defaced, according to the Sabah Environment Protection Association (Sepa).

“We can see rampant hill-cutting and tree-felling activities taking place right outside the World Heritage site of Mount Kinabalu.

“So much degradation is occurring that it feels like our icon is being treated like a garbage dump,” Sepa president Wong Tack said.

He criticised the state government for failing to protect the fragile environment of the area surrounding the park and the park itself.

“The hills slopes are being cut and cleared of all vegetation, and structures are being put up indiscriminately,” he said.

Wong claimed that huge areas of land are also being cleared near Mesilau following the sub-division of the land near the foot of the mountain.

He said large stretches of land were being cleared for illegal farming even on steep slopes.

“The consequences of allowing people to do just as they please will be disastrous to the environment.

“They are destroying the charm of the place, which is what lures people and tourists there. They are not considerate towards the environment.

“Worst still, no restoration work is being done on exposed areas near the park,” he said.

Proper planning needed

Wong said the authorities appeared unconcerned about encroachment on state land.

“Farmers have begun cutting down trees and are said to be eager to move there to re-settle. They have been at it for the last two to three weeks and the relevant authorities have been informed.

“But the farmers are still carrying on with their activity and no one is doing anything to stop them,” he said.

“The government should look for an appropriate site to re-settle the farmers and not allow them to do anything they like.

“It is unfair they do not have a proper site for re-settlement.

“Allowing them to simply do anything is another example of unplanned development near the heritage site,” he said.

He added that Sepa wants the state government to conduct a comprehensive environmental study of the area from Tamparuli town to Poring Hot Springs, near Ranau town.

Wong said the study would help control development in the huge swath of land that business interests have been eyeing for a long time.


Corrective measures

Sepa has suggested that licensing authorities, tour operators, local authorities, Land and Survey Department as well as the tourism, culture and environment ministry be included in the planning of the area.

Wong said Sepa would continue to highlight the issue until the government takes corrective measures to protect the heritage site and its surroundings.

“We have had enough lip service from the authorities. We want to see action,” he said, adding that Sepa will be forming a stakeholder committee to get the local community involved in caring for the area.

According to real estate sources as well as residents, most businesses that have moved into the area and set up resort-style establishments or eateries, have brought little benefit to the locals.

“The locals sell their land to businessmen to get some money and end up being even poorer after a few years as they have lost their land.

“They then move to a new area and start opening up the land to do some farming to sustain themselves so it’s like a vicious cycle,” said a businessman familiar with the property market in the area.

He said that in some cases, those who have established resorts and restaurants in the area sometimes paid the villagers in the surrounding areas to illegally clear the land for them.