KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) is concerned about the joint responsibility to conserve the forest and wildlife of the state, which will be implemented through strategic efforts together with the Sabah Forestry Department (JPS).
SESB chief executive officer, Datuk Abdul Nasser Abdul Wahid said SESB, as a company that handles the electric utility in Sabah, was responsible in ensuring the best implementation of infrastructure development whilst simultaneously making sure the environmental conditions were not affected.
In this regard, he said SESB would provide cooperation to the relevant authorities such as JPS for electricity supply infrastructure development projects that will go through forest reserves under the latter’s jurisdiction.
“SESB realizes this effort through the company’s corporate social responsibility by contributing to the implementation of napier grass cultivation, planting a type of grass for elephant feed,” he said in a statement issued after a meeting with the Forest Conservator chief Frederick Kugan, here yesterday.
At the same time, the Forest Convervator chief explained the napier grass cultivation program jointly implemented with SESB is a pioneering program to provide alternative corridors to elephants to reduce impacts on elephant habibat due to new exploration such as new settlements, plantations and infrastructure projects.
A contribution of RM50,000 was handed over by SESB to JPS for the Enrichment Corridor Program-Napier Grass Cultivation.
The contribution is one of the initiatives implemented by SESB following the signing of an agreement between SESB and JPS in March 2020 during the NNL Forestry Compensation Review and Assessment Workshop for the SESB Southern Link Project planned in the 12th Malaysian Plan that will begin with land acquisition work for a 330km transmission line.
The workshop also discusses forest management and environment, approaches and mitigation will be made to minimize the impact on forest areas that will be affected by the implementation of the Southern Link Project.
The Southern Link project is an alternative main grid that will connect Sabah’s east coast and west coast. This transmission line project will strengthen and completer the 275kV ring system grid in Sabah with the expectation of completion by 2025.
The construction of the 330km transmission network starting from Mengalong Sipitang Main Entry Substation to Kalumpang Main Entry Substation, Tawau will involve a 120km forest reserve.