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A late April 9 evening drive into Jawala ITP Plantation really resonated with me.  

The sun is just over the horizon, casting a warm, golden and amber glow over High Conservation Value ridged natural forest – Compartment 19, designated a wildlife corridor.

Like what the Bajaus once called Jesselton “Singga Mata” – where the eyes love to behold!

You exclaim “wow”- can’t believe what you are seeing in a supposed industrial tree plantation. 

Not finished yet. 

Rizal Khan, the General Manager drove further on.

More wows

Another “wow moment” – a titan of a primeval forest mountain range towered over tranquil valley driveway – another High Conservation Value, Compartment 17.   Photo shoot again. 

To capture this cinematic spectacle- show stopper!

You are not seeing destruction but untouched natural forest landscapes which Jawala has committed to strictly protecting for good.     

My guides were veteran forester Dr Tay, and certainly Rahman’s affable younger brother behind the wheel.

Next – the Salung River, no bridge, no troubled waters, but pristine waters, Rizal stormed his 4-wheel right across it, for our thrills and spills!    

Somewhat euphoric, Dr Tay remarked: “They could even do tourism here!”

High Conservation Value areas are clearly good words about FMUs.

ITP and environment are no longer enemies moving in opposite directions but are partners towards the same goal – common prosperity.     From 1000ha to 3,375ha

Tan Sri Bernard Dompok once mooted 10 per cent of oil palm estates should be forested, when he was Federal Agriculture Minister.

But Jawala Inc has set aside 3,375ha (31pc) of its 11,043ha licensed concession – the smallest FMUs of all in Sabah, could spare that much for High Conservation Value (HCV) area.

Actually, its original plan for 1000ha, Rahman said.

But after Dr Tay conducted the conservation value assessment in 2021, assisted by Alex Hastie, it was discovered 3,375ha contained sensitive issues within the concession, Rahman recalled. 

Hastie, now head of a State Division on Climate Change, identified and mapped the boundary of the High Conservation Value forests, while Dr Tay verified them on the ground with a team of rangers and assessed the high value content.

The choice – more money or sacrifice  

“We face a choice between money and sacrifice. My Chief Operation Officer (Maxy Self) and I met and we decided to sacrifice for a long term purpose,” Rahman shares the deliberate decision.

Immediately it hiked 3-folds Jawala’s HCV committment which is not a single spot but a set of connected natural forest landscape deemed vital for wildlife refugia, clean water sources, biodiversity conservation, ecological resistance against climate change, mandatory riparian reserves, steep unplantable areas like swamps, Dr Tay listed. But it’s all part of upholding its gold standards.

High value pays

Lesser known, September 2022, it won the Malaysian Outstanding ESG Impact Corporate Excellence award.

DE has just paid tribute to its HCV performance.

We have also amply reported its high yield ITP production in conjunction with its commercial scale harvesting commenced since late March.

Last but not least, 158.89 megawatt-hours of solar power have been generated over the past nine years. 

It is the only camp that relies on solar energy without using generators, providing 24-hour power when there is no rain, at a scale equivalent to the lifetime electricity consumption of 15–20 average Malaysian households.