Yayasan Sabah Group inks MoUs to protect biodiversity, expand research

KOTA KINABALU (March 4): Yayasan Sabah Group has strengthened its commitment to conservation and sustainable forest management with the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoUs).

The MoUs, inked with Preferred by Nature (PbN) and Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Sabah Branch, are aimed at enhancing biodiversity protection and expanding research collaborations in the state.

Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister, witnessed the signing by Yayasan Sabah Group director Datuk Seri Dr Gulamhaidar Khan Bahadar, PbN executive director Peter Feilberg, and MNS Sabah president Anna Wong.

The MoU with PbN marks a continuation of a partnership that began in 1999, reflecting the international organisation’s long-standing confidence in Yayasan Sabah Group’s stewardship of key conservation areas.

Over the years, the collaboration has supported major initiatives such as the Maliau Basin Conservation Area (MBCA) Strategic Management Plan, rainforest restoration projects, and joint scientific research with institutions including Harvard University Herbaria.

The most recent agreement between the two parties, signed in 2024, focused on restoration efforts at the Silam Coast Conservation Area.

The renewed partnership will now support the implementation of the MBCA Strategic Management Plan 2026–2035, including buffer zone rehabilitation, access to updated conservation technologies, and the adoption of global best practices.

Yayasan Sabah Group said its collaboration with PbN has also opened doors to international funding, technical expertise, and capacity-building support, reinforcing its standing in conservation and sustainable development at the global level.

The MoU with MNS Sabah formalises a five-year partnership to establish an Avian Centre of Excellence at MBCA.

The initiative will combine the Sabah branch’s decades of experience in bird conservation with Yayasan Sabah Group’s role as custodian of the conservation area.

The centre is expected to serve as a hub for avian research, education and eco-tourism development, positioning MBCA as a leading birdwatching destination in Malaysia.

Planned activities include educational programmes, avian symposia, awareness campaigns, and enhanced conservation planning with input from ornithologists and conservation biologists.

“This strategic initiative not only boosts scientific understanding and conservation of Malaysia’s bird species but also promotes MBCA as a world-class research and eco-tourism destination,” said Gulamhaidar.

Coinciding with the MoU ceremony, Yayasan Sabah Group and PbN also convened a stakeholder validation workshop to review the MBCA Strategic Management Plan 2026–2035.

The revision is funded by an RM1.97 million grant from the Aage V Jensen Charity Foundation and aims to rehabilitate buffer zones while supporting the nomination of the Danum-Maliau-Imbak conservation area as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

More than 150 stakeholders, including representatives from government agencies, non-governmental organisations, research institutions, private sector, local communities, and media took part in the session.

Gulamhaidar said the collaborations and consultations marked an important chapter in Yayasan Sabah Group’s ongoing efforts to conserve and sustainably manage Sabah’s natural heritage for future generations.