By Olivia Miwil - January 23, 2025 @ 5:26pm
KOTA KINABALU: While rare sightings of elephants are cherished by wildlife enthusiasts, villagers in Sungai Udin, Tawau, are facing ongoing challenges due to the daily presence of the animals, which they refer to as "Nenek."
Sungai Udin Village Development and Security Committee (VDSC) chairman Arbain Trarincha said that over the past two years, a herd of elephants had frequently visited the village, usually in the evening.
However, on one occasion, the elephants were seen entering the village in the morning.
"They are often spotted just a few metres from our homes," he told the New Straits Times.
The villagers, who mostly work as smallholders on oil palm plantations, also deal with conflicts involving monkeys and crocodiles.
Due to the presence of these animals, particularly the elephants, crops such as bananas, fruits, and oil palm are frequently destroyed.
"I can't give an exact amount for the losses — it is usually in the hundreds of ringgits. The damage is worse if the oil palm trees are already fruiting.
"But all we can do is stay patient, exercise caution, and report the incidents to the Sabah Wildlife Department," Arbain said.
According to the Sabah Jurisdictional Approach for Sustainable Palm Oil (JASPO), there are around 1.5 million hectares of oil palm plantations in the state.
The initiative reflects the state government's commitment to achieving full Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification for all palm oil plantations in Sabah.
This programme aims to halt deforestation, restore ecosystems, and ensure sustainable livelihoods.
Sabah remains Malaysia's largest producer of crude palm oil (CPO), with a production of 4.5 million tonnes in 2023, thanks to high fruit yields and oil extraction rates.
When asked if the government would consider limiting the expansion of oil palm plantations, Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said that all applications for new plantations would be carefully reviewed by the government.
To address human-wildlife conflict, Liew highlighted the recent launch of an elephant food corridor in Kinabatangan as one of the steps being taken.
Regarding the ongoing investigation into the decapitation of a baby elephant in Kalabakan, she said that the law would hold plantations accountable and monetary rewards would be given for information leading to the prosecution of the responsible parties.
"If you can provide us with accurate information about the person responsible, we will offer incentives," she said during the Sabah Tourism Insights event at the Sabah Tourism Board office.
Former Agriculture and Food Industry Minister and veterinarian Dr Daud Yusof said that the increasing number of human-elephant conflicts was due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
"The people of Sabah deserve a clear plan to reduce these conflicts without endangering the welfare of our elephants. It is our shared responsibility to protect Sabah's wildlife for future generations," said Yusof, who is also the Parti Warisan Bongawan assemblyman.
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