Happy Holidays!!

Forever Sabah Workshop Gathers Over 50 Stakeholders

Forever Sabah – a concept that is in the process of development to transition Sabah towards a diversified green economy – was deliberated on at a day long workshop on 14^thOctober, 2011. The workshop initiated and facilitated by Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP), was held at the Sabah Forestry Department headquarters in Sandakan.

Some points for Open Space Technology

Using Open Space Technology (OST), participants made up of diverse backgrounds – leaders from indigenous community groups from all corners of Sabah, heads and officers of key government organisations, business and industry players, researchers and civil society  – raised issues that later became discussion points. Eight key topics that participants focused their thoughts on were community involvement, natural resource management, green economy, land rights, synergy, the proposed Sabah Environmental Policy, enforcement and converging Forever Sabah with the national Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

Sabah Forestry Department deputy director (Forest Sector Planning)

Attendance by diverse group of people / organisations / companies

Earlier, in kicking off the workshop, Sabah Forestry Department deputy director (Forest Sector Planning) Mr Fred Kugan, shared that the Department was supportive of initiatives like Forever Sabah, given the fact that half of the State is still under some form of forest cover. His remarks were followed by LEAP executive director Cynthia Ong sharing with participants the idea behind Forever Sabah, citing examples from several nations including Costa Rica, Bhutan, British Columbia and Mexico. She also presented the vision behind Forever Sabah as stated in a draft concept paper that was prepared by Borneo Rhino Alliance executive director Datuk Dr Junaidi Payne following a brainstorming workshop with several stakeholders in June. LEAP manager for Communications and Public Relations, Jaswinder Kler, briefed participants about the national Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), highlighting some key projects for Sabah. As the economic driver that will transform Malaysia into a high-income nation by 2020, it is crucial to understand the direction that the nation is taking with the ETP, and to recognise both opportunities and constraints that come with the initiative.

Topics for discussions

Group discussion

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