Summarised - Kind Courtesy of Daily Express - 20 November 1996.
Tourism and Environment Development Minister Datuk Bernard Dompok tabled the Conservation and Environment Enactment Bill, which gives the State powers on environment matters relating to land and its development and forestry. He said the Enactment emphasised environmental control and is deemed necessary because of the pressing environmental problem over the last few years.
Therefore there is a need for a State legislation to control and conserve the environment more effectively. Dompok said currently environment issues in Sabah come under the purview of the Department of Environment (DOE) and governed by the Environment Quality Act. "However, in line with Article 9 of the Ferderal Constitution which allows a State to come up with its own legislation on the environment to enable the State to deal with environmental problem more effectively," he said.
The approval of the Enactment, he added, would see the setting up of an Environment Conservation Department which is empowered to directly control and look after the environment and, at the same time, reduces the burden of the DOE.
Dompok said a Director would be appointed to head the department and he would be responsible for enforcement and othe matters relating to the environment. Among the powers of the Director included requiring people who are involved in activities that could have an effect on the environment to submit a report to him and landowners to adopt environmental conservation measures.
He also said the Enactment placed emphasis on enforcement because legislation would be meaningless if enforcement is not carried out effectively.
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