NGO: Explain alleged ‘false’ statements regarding NCA
KOTA KINABALU: An NGO representing the Talantang indigenous group has demanded an explanation from Pertubuhan Suara Anak Sabah president Adrian Lasimbang and Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Frederick Kugan, over their alleged ‘false’ statements regarding the controversial Nature Conservation Agreement (NCA).
“Mr Adrian Lasimbang and Datuk Fred Kugan should immediately meet the members of the Talantang indigenous group of Sabah to explain as to why both of them are persistently making false statements about the signed NCA between Hoch Standard Pte Ltd (HS) and the Sabah government,” Talantang NGO president Ramdi Indang said.
In a statement, Ramdi pointed out that both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister had witnessed the signing of the NCA in the presence of the Sabah State Attorney General.
“The false press statements by both Mr Adrian Lasimbang and Datuk Frederick Kugan will not only discourage credible foreign investors into Sabah but it will also seriously damage the reputation and credibility of the current Sabah government,” he stressed.
Ramdi claimed that he had been given a thorough briefing on the key terms of the signed NCA, as well the integrity and credibility of Dr Ho Choon Hou as 100 per cent shareholder of Hoch Standard Pte Ltd.
“The NCA is not a land lease agreement and therefore does not involve the sale and or transfer of land ownership rights whatsoever.
“It does not involve the pledging, caveating and collateralisation of any land (forestry assets etc) whatsoever,” he said.
Ramdi went on to explain that the NCA does not allow Hoch Standard to undertake any form of timber extraction activities.
He said the NCA does not allow Hoch Standard to undertake any form of mineral prospecting and or exploration activities whatsoever.
“The NCA does not require the State Government to inject any cash and or equity whatsover. It also does not require the State Government to provide any form of corporate guarantee whatsoever.
“The NCA does not expose the State Government to any form of losses and or liabilities whatsoever except when the State Government unilaterally terminates the NCA,” he said.
According to him, the NCA merely grants the right to Hoch Standard to develop, manage and market carbon credits and non carbon credit components of nature capital in the designated area under the NCA covering two million hectares of forest area for a minimum period of 100 years, in strict compliance with global accredited conservation standards.
Ramdi stated that the bankability of the signed NCA will give confidence and comfort to Hoch Standard and its global partners to not only provide massive funding required for the implementation of the NCA but it also allows Hoch Standard and its global partners to deploy breakthrough and innovative technologies to unlock the “lazy” NC assets of Sabah thereby contributing at least RM1.4 billion to the Sabah economy annually and this does not involve the felling of a single tree.
“By comparison, in 2022, the State Government will only receive about RM120 million from the entire logging operations in Sabah and this involves massive felling of trees which most Sabahans, especially the indigenous people of Sabah, reject completely.
“The NCA will also generate long-term sustainable employment of between 30005000 forest rangers which will take effect during the year 2022,” Ramdi said.
Mr Adrian Lasimbang and Datuk Fred Kugan should immediately meet the members of the Talantang indigenous group of Sabah to explain as to why both of them are persistently making false statements about the signed NCA between Hoch Standard Pte Ltd (HS) and the Sabah government.
— Ramdi Indang, Talantang NGO president