Blue Carbon mulled to lift villagers out of poverty

Dr Raymond Alfred with the local community during the groundwork in one of the villages in northern Sabah.

KOTA KINABALU (May 4): The BIMP-EAGA Business Council (Sabah), under the leadership of chairman Dr Raymond Alfred, has called for a strategic and inclusive approach to eradicating poverty in the northern districts of Kota Marudu and Pitas.

He urged immediate collaboration between large-scale oil palm and forest plantation companies and local communities to support a comprehensive Blue Carbon initiative that integrates environmental restoration with sustainable economic development.

The proposed programme, centered on mangrove conservation, community-based protein harvesting and solar energy deployment, is a climate-smart model designed to simultaneously address environmental degradation and persistent poverty.

Findings from a socio-economic study led by Dr Raymond revealed that most households in the area earn only RM500 to RM700 per month, relying mainly on subsistence agriculture and micro-enterprises.

“This is no longer a welfare issue, it’s a structural economic crisis. The plantations surrounding these areas must see themselves not just as businesses, but as part of a broader community ecosystem,” Dr Raymond stated.

He emphasized the need to involve these communities as beneficial stakeholders, enabling them to benefit from shared resources and sustainable income opportunities.

Dr Raymond also challenged the effectiveness of the current cash handout schemes implemented by the government, arguing they fail to address the root causes of poverty.

“These periodic handouts offer no measurable long-term impact. Worse, they risk dividing already vulnerable communities due to a lack of transparent monitoring or equitable distribution. We need empowerment, not dependency,” he pointed out.

Further, he criticized Parti Warisan’s Wira chief, Terence Au, for making general policy suggestions without grounding them in local realities.

“As a Wira chief, he should understand the complexities on the ground. I urge him to engage more deeply before making broad, non-professional recommendations. I hope to initiate and implement this programme with Dato Verdon Bahanda, the Member of Parliament for Kudat soon,” he said.

Dr Raymond stressed that issues such as land tenure insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure (including electricity, water and communications), and lack of sustainable employment must be addressed systematically.

He proposed joint venture (JV) programmes with plantation companies and emphasized that solar energy is a critical enabler for improving food security and livelihood resilience — especially for communities without cold storage.

As a major step forward, Dr Raymond formally invited the top 10 oil palm companies operating in North Borneo (Sabah) including IOI Corporation, Genting Plantations, Sawit Kinabalu, Wilmar International, FGV Holdings, and others to step forward and collaborate with the local communities.

“These companies have the resources, reach and responsibility to make a tangible impact. The BIMP-EAGA Business Council is prepared to initiate and coordinate a dedicated multi-stakeholder platform to make this happen, ensuring the initiative is community-driven, sustainable, and results-focused,” Dr Raymond said.

He also called on government-linked institutions including the Sabah Forestry Department, Yayasan Sabah, SEDCO and Taman-Taman Sabah, to invest in youth training and entrepreneurship in Blue Carbon and sustainable resource management, positioning young people at the heart of Sabah’s green economy transition.

“This isn’t just about planting trees or installing solar panels. It is about restoring dignity, creating opportunity, and building a future where people and nature thrive together,” Dr Raymond concluded.

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