THE Sarawak government is examining proposals to further expand the Heart of Borneo (HoB) areas, which has expanded from 2.1 million hectares in 2009 to 2.7 million hectares in 2018 from Lundu to Lawas.
Second Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said from the current 2.7 million hectares, 554,275 hectares are Totally Protected Area (TPA), which has indirectly contributed to increased wildlife in important HoB areas in efforts to conserve flora and fauna.
“For the implementation of activities and the HoB initiative, the Sarawak government has received allocations from the federal government during the Mid-Term Review of the 9th to 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) amounting to RM50.7mil.
“Nine series of scientific expeditions have been carried out under the HoB initiative involving local researchers and abroad.
“The results of this expedition were shared through seminars and conference as well as documented in several publications such as coffee table books, monographs and proceedings papers.
“This year, Expedition Scientific Long Mekaba, Ulu Baram was held from Sept 12 to 25,” he said when delivering his ministerial winding-up speech at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) on today (Dec 1).
The HoB project is an initiative between three countries, namely Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, which is contained in the Heart of Borneo, Bali Declaration signed on Feb 12, 2007.
