Latest news with #NazlanMohamad
Borneo Post
01-07-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Scientific expedition workshop to propel Sungai Pin Conservation Area towards IUCN Green List goal
Indra Sunjoto (fourth right) and Nazlan Mohamad (third right) with other officials on stage during the opening ceremony of the workshop. KOTA KINABALU (July 1): The Forest Research Centre (FRC), under the Sabah Forestry Department, successfully co-organized the 'Bengkel Ekspedisi Saintifik Sg. Pin Conservation Area (SPnCA) Siri 2' on June 30 at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok, Sandakan. The initiative is a public-private collaboration with the Conservation and Biodiversity Unit of the Sawit Kinabalu Group. It stems from a stakeholder engagement proposal following the recent SPnCA expedition held in September 2024. The workshop aimed to present key findings from the 2024 scientific expedition and ecosystem services assessment, in comparison with the findings five years ago from the first expedition; reflect on social and community insights, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) linked to the conservation area; forge a shared direction towards biodiversity conservation and sustainable landscape management; and to support SPnCA's journey toward IUCN Green List recognition by 2028, a pioneering goal for an oil palm-managed conservation site. More than 100 participants, including community stakeholders, NGOs and government agencies, joined together to contribute their perspectives and expertise. The Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning & Management), Indra Sunjoto, represented the Chief Conservator of Forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, to officiate the event. The Sawit Kinabalu Group was represented by its Chief Sustainability Officer, Nazlan Mohamad. The programme began with a project overview and featured nine research presentations across three thematic sessions in the morning. This was followed by interactive breakout discussions and a final plenary session to consolidate recommendations for future management, focusing on biodiversity monitoring, threat mitigation, and stakeholder collaboration. The outcomes of the workshop will support Sawit Kinabalu's commitment to the IUCN Green List and further drive SPnCA's ambition to become the first conservation site in Malaysia led by an oil palm company to meet international protected area standards. The Sabah Forestry Department remains a dedicated partner, working alongside the Sawit Kinabalu Group to align science, policy, and public engagement in advancing sustainable forest management and conservation leadership in Sabah.
New Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Sawit Kinabalu tackles child labour through education and welfare programmes
KOTA KINABALU: Although Sawit Kinabalu's core business is palm oil production, the company places significant emphasis on protecting and nurturing the education and welfare of children living within and around its plantations. This commitment is demonstrated through a range of targeted programmes aimed at preventing child labour and promoting access to education. Sawit Kinabalu Group sustainability general manager Nazlan Mohamad said the state-owned company has established 28 Community Learning Centres (CLCs) across Sabah to address barriers to education among children of plantation workers. Six of them are located in Tawau, seven in Lahad Datu, six in Sandakan, four in Kudat, and five in Beaufort. "To ensure better access to education, Sawit Kinabalu builds and maintains CLCs within our estates, reducing travel difficulties and costs for families. "We also provide early childhood education centres and operate transportation services to safely shuttle children from workers' housing to nearby schools," Nazlan told the New Straits Times. These measures are designed not only to facilitate learning but also to prevent children from accompanying their parents to work sites, where they may be exposed to hazardous conditions. Beyond education, Sawit Kinabalu invests in health services, operating clinics within plantation areas that offer maternal and child healthcare, including vaccinations and routine check-ups, to support overall child development and well-being. The company also undertakes extensive awareness programmes targeting workers and their families, focusing on the risks of child labour, the importance of education for long-term personal and community development, and the legal repercussions of involving children in work. "We conduct parental training sessions to discourage the common practice of children 'helping out' on plantations, which often leads to them performing tasks beyond their capability and legal limits." To enhance monitoring and enforcement, Sawit Kinabalu has formed community monitoring groups comprising workers, local leaders and educators, who identify and report potential cases of child labour. The company also provides anonymous reporting channels to encourage confidential disclosures without fear of retaliation. In Sabah, there are approximately 2.1 million workers, including a significant number of non-resident employees. In 2023, there were 796,900 registered PBPs in Sabah, employed by 37,646 companies. Indonesians comprised the majority at 90.2 per cent, followed by Filipinos at 7.9 per cent, with smaller groups from Nepal and Cambodia. Agriculture, particularly oil palm plantations, is among Sabah's largest employment sectors, with around 591,800 workers. Of these, 58 per cent (roughly 344,700) are non-citizens, many of whom work in the oil palm industry. Children of non-resident employees typically face challenges accessing education due to insufficient documentation, affordability issues, and the distance from the nearest schools. Tuai Cerita is a fellowship designed to amplify the voices of Sabah's most vulnerable children. Through the power of storytelling and ethical journalism, the programme shines a light on child rights deprivations that contribute to child labour in and around oil palm plantations in Sabah. The programme is driven by local partners Anak and Global Shepherds, and implemented by Project Liber8. It is conducted in partnership with the European Union, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and Unicef.
