KUCHING: Eleven out of 45 national parks in Sarawak have developed their respective management plans to act as a guide for the agencies in managing the parks.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the plan was in line with the restructuring of the functions of Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) as approved by the government.
“This is to ensure that there is no duplication or overlapping of tasks in future apart from ensuring that the department can perform its functions even better in future,” he said when launching the new FDS headquarters and website at Baitulmakmur 2 building here today.
With the plan, he added, the responsible agencies could increase the management quality of the gazetted national parks in the state.
Previously, national parks and wildlife were managed by FDS before being taken over by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), following the restructuring of roles and responsibilities of both agencies in enhancing the state’s forest and wildlife management.
Meanwhile, FDS director Datuk Hamden Mohammad elaborated that the remaining 34 parks had yet to develop their respective management plans.
“Each national park has its own uniqueness and differences, therefore the management plans are formulated one by one according to the respective national parks.
“Each management plan takes about one year or two to complete as the consultants have to go on the ground to obtain all the information and engage with the stakeholders.
“If we can produce about three to four management plans every year, that is considered a job well done already.”
The three plans were developed in 2017 costing RM1,433,587 with UPM Holdings as consultant for Gunung Pueh and Usun Apau, while Unimas Holdings for Bungo Range National Park.
