KOTA KINABALU, May 23 -- Sabah has pledged to maintain at least 50 per cent of its land under forest cover as the state prepares a long-term master plan to guide forest management and balance development with environmental conservation.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government, through the Sabah Forestry Department, is drafting a Statewide Forest Master Plan that will serve as a guideline for managing Sabah's forest resources over the next 25 years.

He said the plan is part of Sabah's efforts to rationalise land use while ensuring ecologically sensitive areas remain protected.

"With the Forest Master Plan in hand, the Sabah government will ensure that all Ecologically Sensitive Areas remain protected while at the...