Adopt sustainable devt practices: Jaujan
Published on: Saturday, December 15, 2018
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah should adopt prudent and sustainable development practices that are green and environment friendly as part of its development plans. Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Jaujan Sambakong (pic) said the State should also take the same initiative as other countries such as Switzerland that practices prudent and sustainable development with respect to its natural environment."If you look at Switzerland, when they have development, their hills will not be touched and their natural forests are looked after. Even their lakes are crystal clear with thriving fish population as there is no pollution and waste being discharged into them.
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"Though not as developed compared to major European cities such as London Paris or Brussels, why is it many visitors still flock to Switzerland…the answer is because of its natural environment."That is why I say we already have a good natural landscape (in Sabah) and we only need to manage it well. That is what is meant by a green local authority," said Jaujan, who is also Local Government and Housing Minister, after officiating the Sabah Local Authorities Council's Role and Responsibility Seminar 2018 here, Friday.He said towards this end, the Tongod and Nabawan districts will also be made into a green local authority area for the State as part of efforts by the State Government to conserve the environment, especially the forests in both areas.Jaujan said the move if realised, would attract many local and foreign researchers to the area, thus making it a tourist destination.
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He said the recognition of the two districts as green local authorities would also indirectly create a commercial value for the area to be developed without sacrificing forest areas there."It does not mean there is no commercial development there, but it is more towards the care of the environment that will be formed into a resource and attraction.
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He said at present, the local authorities are still fixated on commercial development such as shops, adding that he had seen that in many of the areas that were made into shops, the shops were empty because there were not many people in the area.He said the potential of Tongod as a green local authority is because the area is within the Maliau Basin which has the richness of natural resources, wildlife habitat and the world famous flora and fauna."Thus we must appreciate and preserve our existing natural resources."Meanwhile, when asked whether there would be no local government elections in the State following Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's statement who said there is no possibility of instituting local council elections, Jaujan said when the time comes and Sabahans are prepared for it, he would not be surprised if it does happen. "Perhaps not today or tomorrow but one day, it will would be held. We have to be prepared as a territory in the country that follows the democracy system. So when the time comes there will be an election. "Local authority election system has been practised since colonial times. That is why we must plan and prepare for it…if not today, perhaps in time to come. It will depend on the situation." Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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