KK Wetlands a Ramsar site
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah state government thanked the Federal Government, particularly the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for designating the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands as the seventh Ramsar site in the country.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said the Sabah government certainly welcomed this recognition.
“Both the federal and state governments are placing effort in the conservation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity.
“This is reflected in the government’s commitment to various initiatives such as the Heart of Borneo and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands,” he said in a statement after receiving the Ramsar site certificate from Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dato Sri Dr Hj Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Also present were Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Haji Hamim Samuri, Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun and Dato Sri Azizan bin Ahmad, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
In Sabah, Musa said the tropical rainforests and wetlands are of immense value, extraodinary beauty, and are havens for a great number of plants and animals.
Hence, various conservation efforts have been put into place to ensure that the management of our forests remains sustainable, he said.
“The Sabah government is committed to the conservation and commitment to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Aside from this newly certified Kota Kinabalu site, the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands in Sabah is the largest Ramsar site in Malaysia, covering three forest reserves.
“Protecting its biodiversity and delicate ecosystems will remain a top priority for the Sabah Government,” he added.
“It should also be noted that the Sabah government has also set aside 30 per cent of its total landmass or 2.2 million hectares as Totally Protected Areas, which we hope to achieve in the next five years, if not earlier.
"Our present TPA has already exceeded the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) target of only 10%,” said the Chief Minister.
A Ramsar Site is a wetland site designated of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.