By Olivia Miwil - February 10, 2022 @ 10:44pm
KOTA KINABALU: More questions are being raised about the Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA) despite assurances from Sabah Attorney-General (AG) Datuk Nor Asiah Mohd Yusof that the deal is unenforceable.
The controversial 100-year deal between the Sabah government and Singapore firm Hoch Standard Pte Ltd is looking into reaping revenues from carbon and nature trading involving up to 2 million hectares in Sabah.
However, the AG had said the agreement is non-binding as in-depth due diligence of the company, identification of the lands and consent from the affected native communities among others have yet to be fulfilled.
Sabah DAP secretary Phoong Jin Zhe, in a statement, said there were more questions arising following the AG's statement.
"Isn't it improper and uncommon for a government to enter a multi-billion deal without seeking advice from the AG and without conducting due diligence?
"It is clear as the AG stated that we have the right to carbon sovereignty and can build our own expertise under the Sabah Climate Change Committee.
"Why did the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) state government not consider establishing a government linked company (GLC) but rather getting into a deal with a third party?"
Phoong said a special State Assembly sitting should be called on the issue to ensure Sabahans' interests are safeguarded.
Parti Warisan secretary-general Datuk Loretto Padua said the issue was not about the agreement itself but how the agreement came about.
He said discussions to get Free Prior and Informed Consent from Sabah natives had to be done before the signing of the agreement.
"The transparency of the NCA and Hoch Standard's credibility previously raised by Warisan and its president (Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal) are also the same thing pointed out by 11 civil society organisations.
"In their joint statement yesterday, they had shown that Warisan's request to the state Cabinet to prepare a white paper on NCA is necessary."
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