Sabah wildlife wardens undergo vetting before appointment, says minister

 By Olivia Miwil

June 10, 2026 @ 6:00pm

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said honorary wildlife wardens in Sabah undergo strict screening and training before appointment. FILE PIC

KOTA KINABALU: State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said honorary wildlife wardens in Sabah undergo strict screening and training before appointment.

He said all appointees undergo a structured process, including interviews, vetting and field-based training in enforcement-related duties.

The wardens, appointed under the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry's Biodiversity Patrolling and Protection Programme (BP3), are trained community members who support conservation, patrolling and enforcement efforts on the ground.

In relation to recent reports involving a raid in Tuaran, Jafry said it was important to clarify that the term "ranger" is not used exclusively by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), as the designation is also commonly used across other agencies, sectors and field-based enforcement units.

"Therefore, it should not be assumed that the term refers solely to SWD personnel," he told the New Straits Times.

Last month, a former forest ranger was arrested for possessing wildlife parts worth about RM580,000.

The seizure included 55 pairs of antlers believed to be deer antlers, three rhino horns, 330 pangolin scales, as well as carcasses and skins of pythons, hornbill skulls, elephant bones and teeth, sambar deer antlers, bear skulls and several other wildlife parts.

Jafry said the inclusion of community members as wardens — numbering about 1,247 statewide — had fostered a sense of ownership and responsibility among locals in safeguarding Sabah's wildlife and natural heritage.

He added that private stakeholders such as estate and concession managers, who are also among the wardens, had been urged to strengthen monitoring and access control, including keeping records of individuals entering and operating within their areas.

Jafry said swift reporting by plantation operators had enabled timely intervention by SWD, including incidents in which elephant herds trapped in mud pools were successfully rescued.

"Regular patrols and proactive removal of threats such as snares, traps, abandoned pits, uncovered holes and hazardous mud pools are also essential.

"However, awareness and capacity-building efforts need to be further strengthened among smallholders and smaller operators, who may have fewer resources and less exposure to wildlife management practices," he said.