BINTULU: The Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) is committed to fulfilling all obligations towards securing international recognition in sustainable forest
management.
These include smart partnerships inked with various local and foreign agencies such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), Ramsar, Unesco World Heritage Site, Heart of Borneo (HoB) and others.
This was said by FDS director Datuk Hamden Mohammad at a dinner in conjunction with the department’s 100th anniversary here, recently.
“Through this collaboration, we (FDS) have received technical assistance, world-class research as well as funding, to conserve and further strengthen the forest management in the state.
“Through the HoB initiative alone, the department received an allocation of RM26.24mil from the federal government through the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources in the 11th Malaysia Plan.
“In addition, we also received US$500,000 from the Wildlife Conservation Society New York (WCS) and EUR2.72 mil from the World Wide Fund (WWF),” he explained.
Elaborating further, Hamden added that under the latest project with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), they would receive US$7.368mil in funds to be shared with Sabah in April 2020.
At the same time, he also thanked everyone for helping the FDS in maintaining and
preserving the state’s forests.
“Sarawak has been recognised as one of the 25 biological hotspots worldwide. That is why many scientists and researchers from all over the world are willing to come to Sarawak to carry out their research,” he said.
Also present were Local Government and Housing Assistant Minister Datuk Dr Penguang Mangil, Bintulu resident Jack Aman Luat and FDS deputy director Jack Liam.
