KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government is urged provide ’emergency assistance’ as compensation to oil palm farmers in rural areas who suffer physical losses due to wild animal attacks, especially elephants, as well as crop damage caused by severe floods.
In making the call, Kuamut Assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah said wild elephants have been damaging the residents’ oil palm plantations, especially in the Tongod area, causing farmers to suffer significant losses.
“The problem of the threat from these wild elephant groups is not only occurring in Tongod, but also affecting palm oil farmers in the districts of Telupid, Kalabakan, Lahad Datu, and Kinabatangan.
“The farmers had to watch helplessly due to the intrusion of this herd of wild elephants because shooting or killing the habitat is a serious offence under the Wildlife Act 201C and Act 716,” he said.
Masiung said this while debating the 2025 Sabah Budget at the State Assembly Meeting, here today.
For crops in low-lying areas, he said their farms are often hit by floods, causing the plants to be damaged and unable to produce yields.
Therefore, Masiung expressed hope that the state government could provide emergency aid allocations as compensation to farmers affected by natural disasters such as floods.
He also proposed that the Federal Government and the Sabah State Government collaborate to introduce the ‘Tiket Rahmah’ initiative for domestic flights between Peninsular Malaysia — Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.
“If previously the government offered ‘Rahmah Prices’ for food products to consumers, then this time we suggest that the government create ‘Rahmah Flight Tickets’ for domestic routes at the lowest possible prices according to the capabilities of the common people,” he said.
For that purpose, Masiung also believes that the government, through the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), should enforce the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act (AKHAP) 2011.
He said this includes taking strict action against local airlines that arbitrarily raise domestic flight ticket prices solely to reap excessive profits without considering the cost of living for the people.
“We also recommend to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and the Ministry of Transport Malaysia to agree on setting a floor price for domestic flight tickets, especially during peak times involving school holiday seasons, festive days such as Hari Raya, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Kaamatan Festival in Sabah, and Gawai Day in Sarawak.”
Speaking to reporters later, Masiung hoped that the Sabah Water Department could focus on short-term efforts to address the water supply issues in the Tongod area.
Taking the example of the water problem faced by SMK Tongod, he wants the government, especially the Sabah Water Department, to take proactive measures to address the water supply issue at the school for the benefit of all parties, especially the students.
