Sabah opposition demands more transparency on 100-year carbon deal

 By Olivia Miwil - December 6, 2021 @ 4:03pm

Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the 100-year deal signed by the state government and Singapore-based firm Hoch Standard Pte Ltd, was unclear and worrying. - Pic courtesy of Warisan.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government should be more transparent on the Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA) which involved 2 million hectares of land in the state, the state assembly was told today.

State opposition chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Senallang) said the 100-year deal signed by the state government and Singapore-based firm Hoch Standard Pte Ltd, was unclear and worrying.

The NCA was signed on Oct 30, which would see the company receive 30 per cent of the shared gross revenue.

It will involve up to 2 million ha of existing forested areas in Sabah. However, it is yet to be made known whether the land would be sold or leased to the company.

Mohd Shafie also cited a letter by the Sabah Attorney-General which allegedly contradicted the state government's stance to proceed with the agreement.

"I agree that carbon credit is good but the scheme is not for Sabah. We want revenue but not (at the expense of) selling the lands.

"Why do we have to sell our lands? Two million ha is about 50 times the size of Singapore, this is worrying.

"I hope it will be cancelled for the sake of future generations," he said, adding that there were other alternatives such as electric cars and green technology to offset the carbon emission.

Mohd Shafie also urged the state government to reveal the areas involved in the deal.

During his debate, State Rural Development minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, State Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai and Mokran Ingkat (Umno-Sungai Manila) had said Mohd Shafie's words on "selling of lands" were inappropriately used in the context of the carbon deal.

Mohd Shafie, who is also a former chief minister, countered that people would not know how the areas would be managed by a company outside of Sabah.

Later, during a press conference at Parti Warisan Sabah's office, Mohd Shafie said the deal should be tabled at the sitting as it was a matter of public interest involving the management of lands.

Last month, Sabah Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan had said in a dialogue with non-governmental organisations that the state government would still have authority on forests and state land, while Singapore laws would only apply when it came to the carbon deal.

According to the state enactment, Sabah has jurisdiction on issues pertaining to lands.