Kota Kinabalu: The Silam Coast Conservation Area (SCCA) must continue to be strengthened as a conservation and research landscape that integrates science, community participation and sustainable development.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai said the approach was important to ensure the area’s rich biodiversity and ecosystems could be managed effectively and preserved for future generations.
He said the 2025 Scientific Expedition had generated valuable information on biodiversity, ecosystems and communities in the SCCA, while also helping to identify knowledge gaps and research areas that should be prioritised.
“The knowledge we have gained must be translated into more effective conservation action, more meaningful community involvement and sustainable development in SCCA,” he said when officiating at the SCCA Scientific Review Seminar and Research Direction Workshop 2027-2036 at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru here on Tuesday.
Joniston said the SCCA held a distinctive position in the conservation efforts of the Yayasan Sabah Group, with its history beginning with Tumunong Hallo, which became part of the Yayasan Sabah Group’s concession area in 1997.
He said parts of the area had experienced disturbance and degradation at the time due to unauthorised settlements and agricultural activities, but still retained important coastal forests and natural habitats of high conservation value.
“The Yayasan Sabah Group began managing Tumunong Hallo voluntarily as a conservation area in 2003,” he said, adding that the conservation area subsequently expanded to include the Bangkuruan Mangrove Forest Reserve, Saranga Island and Tabun Island.
In 2024, the SCCA was further expanded to include parts of the Silam Forest Reserve, Dara Sepagaya Forest Reserve and nearby land owned by the Yayasan Sabah Group.
He said the SCCA was now no longer merely a forest conservation area, but had developed into an interconnected conservation landscape comprising terrestrial forests, mangroves, coastal areas, islands and marine ecosystems.
“This combination of diverse ecosystems gives the SCCA significant potential in conservation, research, education, ecosystem restoration and the sustainable development of nature-based activities,” he said.
Joniston said the SCCA, located near Lahad Datu and forming part of the Darvel Bay landscape, had high marine biodiversity, while its location within the Coral Triangle further enhanced its importance from the perspective of marine and coastal conservation.
He said previous scientific surveys had demonstrated the high level of biodiversity within the relatively small landscape.
“The 2015 Scientific Expedition recorded 60 bird species, 24 mammal species, 60 mangrove flora species, 55 coral genera, 147 fish species and 40 marine invertebrate species.
“Several tree species endemic to Borneo and Sabah were also recorded,” he said.
Apart from its biodiversity, he said the SCCA also possessed interesting geological features, including the Darvel Bay Ophiolite Complex, making the area suitable for a wide range of terrestrial and marine research, mangrove studies, biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem restoration, education, training and nature-based recreation.
At the same time, the SCCA had the potential to become a destination for visitors seeking nature-based experiences, particularly in its coastal and marine environments.
Joniston said the 2025 Scientific Expedition brought together 107 participants from the Yayasan Sabah Group, government agencies, higher learning institutions and conservation organisations. Various areas were studied during the expedition, including hydrology, birds, small mammals, arthropods, mangrove health and zoning, community livelihoods and socioeconomic conditions, wildlife observations and ecotourism.
“This diversity of fields demonstrates one very important point – conservation requires collaboration,” he said.
He said the findings of the 2025 Scientific Expedition would serve as an important foundation for the preparation of the SCCA Strategic Management Plan, which is being undertaken by the Conservation and Environmental Management Division of the Yayasan Sabah Group.
He said the plan should not merely document what exists within the area, but should serve as a guide on how the SCCA should be managed in the future.
Meanwhile, Joniston stressed that communities living around the SCCA must not be overlooked in conservation efforts.
“Conservation efforts will not succeed without the understanding, support and involvement of local communities.
“Communities are not merely stakeholders. They can also be partners in conservation efforts. Their knowledge, experience and understanding of the area are extremely valuable resources,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of safety as the SCCA encompasses terrestrial, coastal and marine areas, particularly when conducting research, tourism and related activities along Sabah’s East Coast.
He said cooperation with the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) and relevant security agencies was crucial to ensure that all activities could be carried out safely and responsibly.
At the same time, the marine potential of the SCCA should be viewed more strategically, given its location along Darvel Bay and its links with the coastal ecosystems and surrounding islands.
He said the SCCA had the potential to serve as one of the gateways to the “Blue Ring”, a marine area with particular appeal to the diving community, thereby creating opportunities for more focused diving and marine tourism activities.
He said the Yayasan Sabah Group also intended to explore a co-management approach with Sabah Parks, taking into account the close links between the terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems within the SCCA.
“We are also continuing our cooperation with Preferred by Nature in forest restoration efforts, based on our longstanding collaboration in conservation and sustainable forest management,” he said.
Joniston said cooperation among institutions, government agencies, higher learning institutions, conservation organisations, strategic partners and communities was crucial as conservation challenges were becoming increasingly complex.
He said the SCCA Research Direction Workshop, to be held on Wednesday (Sept 9), should identify priority research themes and knowledge gaps that still needed to be addressed.
He said research should be oriented towards actual management needs, including identifying areas requiring further study, developing a long-term biodiversity monitoring system, strengthening ecosystem restoration approaches, understanding the relationship between terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems, and exploring how conservation could progress alongside community development and sustainable tourism.
“The survey has helped us understand the SCCA better. Now, we need to determine the questions that we need to answer next.
“Research should not end merely in reports or academic publications. Instead, the knowledge generated must be translated into action – towards better management, more effective conservation, broader education, more meaningful community involvement and sustainable development,” he said.
He hoped the seminar and workshop would help establish a clear, practical and impactful research direction for the SCCA for the 2027-2036 period.
“We must strive to develop the SCCA as a strong conservation and research landscape – where science guides management, communities become conservation partners and development is carried out responsibly without compromising the natural heritage entrusted to us,” he said.
Joniston also expressed his appreciation to all parties who had contributed to the implementation of the 2025 Scientific Expedition and the organisation of the seminar.
Yayasan Sabah Group Director Dato’ Sri Dr Gulamhaidar Khan Bahadar was also present.
