KUALA LUMPUR: Having seven wetland areas recognised as Ramsar Sites reflects local communities’ and stakeholders’ strong commitment to conserving Malaysia’s wetland ecosystem, says Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup (pic). Arthur said Sabah is also home to two Ramsar Sites, namely the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands and Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, which were designated in 2008 and 2016, respectively. As a testament to the country’s commitment to the conservation of wetlands, the minister said Malaysia acceded to the Convention on Wetlands, commonly known as the Ramsar Convention, in 1994. He added that the Ramsar Convention is the world’s oldest modern multilateral environmental agreement, established in 1971, with 172 contracting parties to date. As of 2025, worldwide authorities have designated a total of 2,546 wetlands of international importance, known as Ramsar Sites.

Source: The Star February 02, 2026 23:10 UTC