“No, it is not true.” ALLCOT’s response to Jeffrey Kitingan’s claim that “We are engaged with ALLCOT Group” in the Nature Conservation Agreement in Sabah
Jeffrey Kitingan, Sabah’s Deputy Chief Minister, it would appear, is a liar
Earlier today, REDD-Monitor wrote about the Nature Conservation Agreement in Sabah. That’s a two million hectare project run by an unknown Singaporean company called Hoch Standard, which in turn is owned by Lionsgate Ltd, a company incorporated in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands.
In a recent interview broadcast on Sabah Way Forward Jeffrey Kitingan, Sabah’s Deputy Chief Minister and main proponent of the Nature Conservation Agreement, claimed that “We are engaged with ALLCOT Group”. During the interview a letter from ALLCOT was shown on the screen.
ALLCOT is a Swiss carbon trading consulting company.
I wrote to ALLCOT to ask some questions about the company’s involvement in the Nature Conservation Agreement project.
I had, perhaps naively, assumed that Kitingan was telling the truth when I wrote my questions. It now seems that was a mistake.
UPDATE - 13 September 2023: ALLCOT sent an additional reply and a copy of the letter to Kitingan:
The ALLCOT Communications Department’s response to my questions is posted here in full and unedited.
REDD-Monitor: Is it true that ALLCOT is involved in this project in Sabah? When did ALLCOT get involved?
ALLCOT: No, it is not true.
REDD-Monitor: Please explain what role ALLCOT is playing in the development of this project.
ALLCOT: ALLCOT has no role in the development of the mentioned project.
REDD-Monitor: Has a map of the project area been publicly released? If so, could you please send me a copy, and if not, why not? WWF-Malaysia is also urging that the project area should be made public.
ALLCOT: ALLCOT has no knowledge of the project area since it is not involved in the Project.
REDD-Monitor: Could you please describe the process of free, prior and informed consent that has taken place in Sabah.
ALLCOT: ALLCOT has no knowledge of the process of free, prior and informed consent taken in Sabah since it is not involved in the Project.
REDD-Monitor: Kitingan claims that the project could earn US$1.75 million a day. He uses this number to argue that the project should go ahead as soon as possible. Are you aware of the calculations behind this figure? If so could you please send me a copy. What price per tonne of carbon is Kitingan using to come up with this figure?
ALLCOT: ALLCOT has no knowledge of the amount to be earned by the project or any calculations. ALLCOT has no documents or pricing per ton of carbon.
REDD-Monitor: Could you please comment on the Judicial Review Process that a civil society coalition is launching in Malaysia.
ALLCOT: ALLCOT believes that all projects, including carbon projects, require a process of free, prior and informed consent for the communities or any other relevant stakeholder, comply with national and international laws and regulations, have a transparent and clear process and have in the center the natural resources and communities. ALLCOT promotes that every person has the right acquire information of agreements or deals that may impact in their livelihood and environment.
REDD-Monitor: In February 2022, Sabah's Attorney General stated that the "NCA in its present form is legally impotent". Has anything changed since then?
ALLCOT: ALLCOT has no knowledge of the details of NCA nor Sabah’s laws since it is not involved in the Project.
REDD-Monitor: In the recent interview Kitingan mentioned the Verified Carbon Standard, run by Verra, and the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market. Please explain which international standards will be applied under the NCA project.
ALLCOT: ALLCOT has no knowledge of the details of the NCA since it is not involved in the Project.
REDD-Monitor: Has a Project Description Document been produced for the Nature Conservation Agreement project? If not, when is this anticipated, and when will it be publicly released?
ALLCOT: ALLCOT has no knowledge of any Project Description Document since it is not involved in the Project.
That is an intriguing concept, such as what Sabah Way Forward did during an inertview, put a contrasting document on the screen. More TV news stories should try this feature.