Over 16,700 hectares of forest land to be degazatted for native rights, development

Borneo Post

4 days ago

16,728.9 hectares of land across 10 forest reserves will be degazetted to recognise long-standing native customary land claims and facilitate socio-economic development.
KOTA KINABALU (July 8): The Sabah State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Forest (Constitution of Forest Reserves and Amendment) (Amendment) Enactment 2025 Bill, allowing for the degazettement of approximately 16,728.9 hectares of land across 10 forest reserves to recognise long-standing native customary land claims and facilitate socio-economic development.
Tabled by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, the Bill received broad support from all seven assemblypersons who debated it, with many hailing it as a long-overdue solution to land disputes dating back to the 1980s.
'The State Government intends to degazette land from various forest reserve classifications including Class I (Protection), Class II (Commercial), Class IV (Amenity), Class V (Mangrove), and Class VI (Virgin Jungle Reserve), to accommodate 40 villages in Sipitang, Tenom, Kemabong, Tawau, Kalabakan, Ranau and Pitas, benefiting an estimated 12,012 residents,' Nizam told the House.
Some of the land will also support infrastructure projects such as the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complex at Serudong-Simanggaris, aimed at strengthening Malaysia-Indonesia border security.
Affected forest reserves include: Bengkoka Peninsula (Class V) – 158 ha for three Pitas villages and public infrastructure. Kudat (Class V) – 3 ha overlapping with titled land. Umas-Umas (Class VI) – 28 ha in Tawau for Kampung Sungai Udin. Sungai Serudong (Class I) – 20 ha for ICQS; 20 ha to be re-gazetted as an extension; 3 ha for a military post. SAFODA Kinarut (Class IV) – 320.9 ha to be administered under Section 40 of the SAFODA Enactment 1981. Trus Madi (Class II) – 55 ha for three villages in Ranau. Sipitang (Class II) – 15,978 ha for 36 villages in Sipitang, Tenom and Kemabong. Sungai Tiagau (Extension, Class I) – 162 ha for a Kalabakan village occupied since 1985.
Tawau (Class I) – 1 ha in Sebatik for Kampung Sungai Tongkang Lama.
Nizam assured that Sabah's total permanent forest reserve area will only be slightly reduced from 3,575,034.573 ha in 2024 to 3,558,325.673 ha, a decrease of just 0.47 per cent.
'This action is not taken lightly. It is a deliberate decision made in the interest of the people, especially rural communities who urgently need land for settlement and subsistence,' he said.
To ensure environmental sustainability, Nizam said the State Government, through the Sabah Forestry Department, Land and Survey Department, and Department of Natural Resources, is working to identify state land of equivalent size and ecological value to replace the degazetted areas.
This aligns with the Sabah Forest Policy 2018, which mandates replacement of any forest reserve land released.
'We are committed to maintaining ecosystem services such as clean water, biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and to upholding our international pledge to maintain at least 50 per cent forest cover across the state,' he added.
The Bill drew strong bipartisan support.
Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob (Sindumin) said it would ease decades-long uncertainty in rural areas and called for better road access near the border.
Datuk Rubin Balang (Kemabong) welcomed the long-awaited recognition of native land claims since 1987.
Datuk Hassan A Gani Pg Amir (Sebatik) said it uplifts native dignity and called for similar actions in other constituencies.
Jaffari Waliam (nominated) suggested releasing forest land in Sandakan for smallholder farming, particularly oil palm.
Datuk Jannie Lasimbang (Kapayan) raised concerns about potential silica sand mining in the Kudat mangrove area and urged strict safeguards.
Datuk Masiung Banah (Kuamut) called for on-ground monitoring to ensure degazettement boundaries are respected and urged swift land surveys.
Datuk Jonnybone J Kurum (Telupid) highlighted the urgent need for land in flood-prone villages and proposed releasing over 500 acres from Tawai Forest Reserve along the Pan Borneo Highway.
In closing, Nizam said all suggestions will be considered in the next meeting and noted that roads within forest reserves may be retained if designated as 'special rights' under state authority.