OSAKA, Japan : – The Sabah State Government, through the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD), has renewed its commitment to mangrove conservation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME).
The signing took place on 25 August 2025 during Sabah Week at the Malaysian Pavilion, World Expo Osaka 2025.
Launched in 2011, the SFD–ISME Mangrove Rehabilitation Project has grown into one of Sabah’s most significant conservation initiatives.
To date, the program covers 22 planting sites across 13 Forestry Districts, including Sandakan, Beluran, Tawau, Kunak, Beaufort, Pitas, Kudat, Semporna, Kota Kinabalu, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, and Lahad Datu.
Now entering its fourth phase (2024–2029), the project will continue with the support of Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd., Japan, which is providing ¥5.5 million annually to restore degraded mangroves across the state.
Since its inception, the project has successfully restored 556 hectares of mangrove forests, benefitting coastal ecosystems and local communities.
Beyond rehabilitation, the collaboration has also advanced scientific research on mangrove ecosystems, with several studies published in leading journals, further strengthening Sabah’s role in global environmental conservation.
Datuk Frederick Kugan signed the MoU for Sabah Forestry Department, while ISME was represented by the Executive Director, Prof. Shigeyuki Baba.
The MoU signing was witnessed by:
Datuk Thomas Logijin, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship, and Head of Delegation for Sabah.
Datuk Josie Lai, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS), Sabah
Hiroshi Sakiyama, Senior Managing Director, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd.
Dr. Joseph Tangah, representing the Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests (Research & Development), Sabah Forestry Department
Other distinguished attendees included Datuk Ramlee Kariah, Chief Operating Officer, SSMJ Sabah; Doria Tai Yun Tyng, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (KSTI), Sabah; Dr. Firdausi Suffian, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Sabah Berhad; and Nur’ain Abdullah, Director, Department of Industrial Development and Research (DIDR), Sabah.
The Sabah Forestry Department’s participation at World Expo Osaka 2025 is part of the State’s broader mission to showcase its sustainability initiatives, through forest conservation and sustainable practices.
Apart from the MoU signing, the department also showcases its conservation efforts at the Thematic Corner of the Malaysia Pavilion, daily throughout the Sabah Week, from 25th to 31st August 2025.
The Sabah Week was organised by the Ministry of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship (MIDE), Sabah, in collaboration with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia.