SABAH is strengthening its management of human-crocodile conflict through a science-based and integrated approach rather than deploying permanent special teams along rivers, the State Legislative Assembly was told.
Assistant Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Dr Andi Md Shamsureezal Mohd Sainal said the State Government, through the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry and the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), had adopted immediate measures in high-risk areas alongside long-term strategies based on science, risk management and inter-agency cooperation.
“The approach implemented in Sabah is based on the location and level of risk identified,” he said in reply to a question from Datuk Junz Wong (Warisan-Tanjung Aru), adding that the integrated approach allows resources, expertise and personnel to be deployed more flexibly according to operational needs across Sabah’s extensive river, estuary and coastal areas.
He said the State Government had strengthened mitigation efforts since 2023 through the establishment of the Sabah State Crocodile Mitigation Operations Committee, chaired by the Secretary of the Sabah State Affairs Office, with the SWD, the Royal Malaysia Police and other agencies coordinating operations, information sharing and rapid responses to incidents in high-risk areas.
Andi said measures already implemented include integrated operations, the management of high-risk crocodiles based on assessments by the Sabah Wildlife Department and existing legal provisions, public awareness programmes, the installation of warning signs and technical cooperation with relevant experts to reduce human-crocodile conflict.
He said the State Government would also prioritise comprehensive wildlife conflict management under the 13th Malaysia Plan, covering crocodiles as well as elephants, monkeys and other wildlife species through continuous monitoring, scientific research, community participation and stronger implementation capacity to ensure more sustainable and effective conflict management.
Responding to a supplementary question from Sulabayan Assemblyman Datuk Jaujan Sambakong, who proposed establishing a crocodile museum and promoting commercial crocodile farming, Andi said licences and permits could be issued for controlled crocodile hunting in identified areas requiring population reduction, subject to legal provisions.
“We take note of the market and potential uses of crocodile meat, although it has received less attention in Sabah and Malaysia due to cultural factors.
“The museum concept is very good, but we are also looking at the establishment of a sanctuary because we do not encourage zoos, which keep animals confined, whereas a sanctuary allows them to remain in their natural habitat, and the Ministry will evaluate the proposal,” he said.
