Liew accompanied by Dr Maklarin at the venue of the training course at Kinabalu Park.
KUNDASANG: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew last Thursday announced the establishment of a Sustainability and Capacity Development Centre which has been approved by the Board of Trustees of Sabah Parks (TTS).
She made the announcement when opening the inaugural course on “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) : The Way Forward, Issues, Challenges & Prospects Of Sustainability Development – Climate Change & Renewal Energy” 2024 at the Kinabalu Park, here.
“This centre aims to become an institution to continuously improve the knowledge, skills and capacity of stakeholders as well as all local communities around the Kinabalu Park.
“It is imperative for them to be able to take advantage of the socioeconomic benefits potentially derived from the aspects of protection and conservation of the park area, especially around areas that have been recognised as UNESCO sites.
“Congratulations and well done to the Board of Trustees of Sabah Parks for this new initiative and a noble effort,” Liew said in her opening address.
The designated sites are UNESCO Kinabalu Park World Heritage site (2000), UNESCO Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve (2014) and Kinabalu UNESCO Global Geopark (2023).
Describing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) programme as a curtain raiser for the establishment of the Sustainability and Capacity Development Centre, Liew said :
“After this, all programmes of this nature will be managed by this centre, most of which will be related to the sustainability elements of natural resource management in the socioeconomic interests of the local community.”
Liew commended the Director of Sabah Parks Dr Maklarin Lakim and his Organising Committee for holding the 11-day training course.
“I wish to emphasise that this course which revolves around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030 (UNSDG) is vital to support the State Government’s stride towards better wellbeing for the people of Sabah,” she said.
The Minister urged all participants from the districts where the UNESCO Kinabalu Park World Heritage Site, UNESCO Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve, and Kinabalu UNESCO Global Geopark are located, to make full use of the course to be better equipped towards fulfilling their respective responsibilities in the course of their work.
Liew stressed that the State Government’s Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan focuses, among other aspects, on the three main economic sectors – agriculture, industry, and tourism – for the sustainable development of Sabah from 2021 to 2025.
“Interestingly, the SMJ plan is also in line with all the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). Therefore, this training course is very important and critical to achieve both goals (SMJ and UN SDG) in parallel and simultaneously,” she said.
Liew assured that the Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry (KePKAS) under her supervision is fully committed to advancing the sustainable development of tourism which is the third pillar of Sabah’s economy.
“Our target is to ensure that this development continuously benefits the people of Sabah, especially the local community. Our priority is to maintain a sustainable balance between the three main economic pillars of sustainability – agriculture, industry and tourism,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Maklarin said all stakeholders play an important role in efforts to ensure that the UNESCO sites are preserved and protected.
“I hope all participants will benefit from the UNSDG course to ensure sustainable development is practised and provides socio-economic benefits to the local community.
“As ‘ambassadors’ of the UNESCO Triple Crown Site in Sabah, all stakeholders must move in the same direction in carrying out sustainable management at the three UNESCO-recognised sites,” he told the more than 30 participants from Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, Papar, Kota Belud, Ranau, Tambunan, Penampang, Ranau, Kota Marudu, Tuaran, Beaufort and Tenom.
