Its president Shafie Apdal said local people should benefit from bird’s nest harvesting in the area, which is renowned worldwide as one of the biggest cave networks with bird’s nests.
Shafie said local people had been deprived of their livelihood in the industry in which they had been involved for generations since the Barisan Nasional government introduced a tender system there in 1997.
The heirs of those granted harvesting rights by the North Borneo Chartered Company in 1884 have contended that outsiders should not be given preference over locals.
In an agreement with the company under the British colonial administration, the Orang Sungai Bulud Upih community in Sukau, which is within the Kinabatangan parliamentary area, were given the rights to harvest the nests in the caves.
Yesterday, Shafie visited Kampung Suan Lamba, 12km from the caves, and issued a statement saying that the concession for harvesting the nests had been awarded to a non-Sabahan company under the BN administration several years ago.
The company had hired mainly foreign workers to collect the highly priced commodity, with locals losing their rights and opportunity to earn a living, he said.
He claimed that at least 500 villagers had each lost an estimated income of RM7,000 for every harvesting season and that local stall owners at the caves’ entrance were barred by the concessionaire from operating there.
According to the Sabah Wildlife Department, the bird’s nest quality in Gomantong is among the best in the world. The total harvest there is believed to be worth more than RM60 million a year.
FMT has sought a response from the state tourism, culture and environment ministry.
Shafie said Warisan would collaborate with PKR and DAP in a seat-sharing agreement with Pakatan Harapan to contest all 60 state seats and 26 Parliamentary constituencies, including Labuan.
“Our respective parties have already identified the candidates and they shall be announced in due course,” he said.
He said the people need to be united and vote for the party they felt was most likely to be able to topple the ruling BN, while ignoring those that were contesting just to win one or two seats.