Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin highlighted that two key policies play a central role in ensuring this balance, which include the National Forestry Policy and the National Biodiversity Policy and Strategic Plan of Action (NBP-SPA).

This was in response to a question raised by Yang Berhormat Awang Haji Sulaiman bin Haji Nasir regarding the balance between economic development and forest conservation managed in the country’s land-use planning, during the fourth day of the First Meeting for the 22nd Session of the Legislative Council
yesterday.

Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf initially outlined how the National Forestry Policy plays an important role in ensuring sustainable forest management. It is a policy responsible for conserving, developing, and managing forest resources for the purposes of conservation and improving the quality of life, promoting the socio-economic progress of the population, and providing environmental facilities and ecological balance for the long term.

“Through this policy, Brunel Darussalam is committed to increasing forest reserve coverage to at least 55 per cent of the country’s total land area.”

Meanwhile, the NBP-SPA aims to manage biodiversity resources sustainably by 2030. “This policy includes four goals, 18 targets, and 50 actions, which focus on environmental conservation, socio-eco-nomic development, and sustainability for future generations.”

The Forestry Department also plays a role as a member of the Site Identification Committee, coordinated by the Department of Town and Country Planning at the Ministry of Development, in order to provide technical views on development proposals involving forest areas or forest resources.

At present, the minister noted that the country’s forest coverage accounts for more than 70 per cent of the total land area, and of that total, approximately 41 per cent has been gazetted as Forest Re-serve, which includes conservation areas, protection forests, production forests, recreational areas, and national parks.

This approach ensures that forest areas with ecological importance continue to be preserved, while economic development can be carried out in a planned and sustainable manner.

(news source: Borneo Bulletin; pic source: Info Foto, Jabatan Penerangan)