SABAH MANGROVE ACTION PLAN TO BE LAUNCHED SOON - HAJIJI

KOTA KINABALU, July 24 (Bernama) -- The Sabah Government will launch the Sabah Mangrove Action Plan as a way forward to transform the management and conservation of mangrove forests in the state.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the action plan was important and crucial since 60 per cent or 378,195 hectares of the country's mangrove forests were in Sabah.

"Sabah has the largest mangrove forests in Malaysia so it is important that we have an action plan that will serve as a guide on mangrove management and conservation.

"It is also in consonance with the Blue Carbon initiative, a global programme being coordinated to focus on the conservation and preservation of the seaside ecosystem for climate, biodiversity and prosperity of the people," he said in a statement after chairing the Chief Minister's Department post-cabinet meeting here today.

The Chief Minister said the state Cabinet had endorsed the Sabah Mangrove Action Plan during its weekly meeting today, and it would be launched soon.

Hajiji said the Cabinet was also informed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Non-disclosure Agreement have been signed between the Sabah Biodiversity Centre and Yayasan Petronas for the Seaweed Mapping project and community initiative.

He said the project and community initiative would be conducted for five years.

The Chief Minister added that the collaboration was expected to provide a complete seaweed distribution map in Sabah to be used as a reference for the conservation, protection and sustainable development of the seaweed ecosystem.

At the same time, Hajiji said, the community initiative organised by the State Government through the Sabah Biodiversity Centre and Yayasan Petronas would involve communities living in the marine and seaweed ecosystem areas in conservation and awareness efforts.

"It will also contribute to the State Government's Blue Economy initiative," he said.

-- BERNAMA