Moser (second right) and Vrkic (left) being briefed on the operations by Sawit Kinabalu Group’s Sepagaya Mill Executive Assistant Engineer Mohd Husairie Erazan (right).
KOTA KINABALU: SK Green Services and Tours Sdn Bhd (SK Green) continues to reinforce its commitment to environmental conservation, sustainability and responsible ecotourism in Sabah through close collaboration with key stakeholders and international partners.
This was highlighted during a courtesy call by SK Green officials on Sabah Forestry Department Chief Conservator of Forests Datuk Zulkifli Suara, where discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in conservation and sustainable landscape management.
SK Green is a subsidiary of the Sabah-owned Sawit Kinabalu Group.
Among those present were Sawit Kinabalu Sandakan Regional Office General Manager Mohammad Muazam Syah Idris, SK Green Senior Manager Charis Saliun, Senior Executives Rashidah Maqbool and Deveneau Daniel Jambun, as well as Executives Herman Matanggal and Sandra Sokial.
Charis said the meeting reflected the long-standing collaboration between the Sabah Forestry Department and Sawit Kinabalu Group, particularly in the establishment and development of the 2,632-hectare Sungai Pin Conservation Area (SPnCA).
Initiated in 2017, SPnCA was voluntarily set aside within the group’s plantation landscape as a conservation zone to protect river ecosystems, preserve wildlife habitats and maintain biodiversity.
Zulkifli welcomed the continued collaboration and expressed appreciation for Sawit Kinabalu Group’s commitment, noting that further areas of cooperation could be explored.
Charis added that the partnership has played an important role in supporting conservation and eco-tourism efforts at SPnCA, while promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices.
In a separate engagement, the conservation area also received a visit from Switzerland Ambassador to Malaysia Chantal Moser and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Edward Vrkic.
The delegation was received by SK Green and Sawit Kinabalu Group’s Sustainability Division during their visit to the site.
Held in conjunction with engagements under the Sabah Jurisdictional Approach for Palm Oil, the visit provided insights into biodiversity conservation and sustainability initiatives at SPnCA.
Sustainability Division Senior Manager Jenny Francis briefed the delegation on the group’s sustainability frameworks and conservation efforts, including environmental management practices at the site.
Charis said the visit also highlighted ongoing efforts to balance responsible development with environmental stewardship through conservation, monitoring and sustainable landscape management.
The delegation was also given a closer look at the surrounding ecosystem and wildlife habitats within the conservation area.
He added that the engagement underscored the importance of collaboration and international partnerships in advancing sustainability and conservation efforts in Sabah, while reinforcing the role of responsible ecotourism in long-term environmental protection.
