KOPEL Community Conservation & Ecotourism Cooperative

The Batu Puteh Community Ecotourism Co-operative
(KOPEL) is set up to promote and build upon the full
ethos and scope of Agenda 21 of the Earth Summit in
Rio 1991, towards Ecologically Sustainable Development.

The Community of Batu Puteh, is like many poor,
isolated, indigenous rural communities in Sabah, Borneo
Malaysia, where a millennia of traditional reliance on the
rainforest for food, medicines, everyday commodities, as
well trade with the outside world has been displaced by a
rapidly developing world, the loss of forests and cultural
heritage, and a cash driven lifestyle.

Established now for almost ten years, KOPEL was set up
to reverse the losses, to capitalise on ancient indigenous
and traditional knowledge and culture, to save and
create economic value and appreciation of the mega-
diverse rich rainforests of the area, and in the process
create a sense of hope for a sustainable future for the
people of the Lower Kinabatangan Sabah.

KOPEL’s aims are threefold:

• Firstly to create a sense of self-worth and value for
a wealth of cultural and natural riches that abounds in
the Lower Kinabatangan. KOPEL’s key is to not to fight
against the tsunamic changes through development, but
more so build capacity to adapt and skilfully conserve the
areas ecological identity while moving forward in positive
and meaningful ways, so that the long-term survival of
this heritage can be maintained in perpetuity.

• Second to that is creating economic wealth within
the community in a way that supports and enhances the
future survival of the areas core cultural and biological
diversity. In this way bringing positive and knowledge-
based development and advancements and to further
equip the people of the area for the future.
• Finally, KOPEL aims to protect and enhance the
natural environment through research and rehabilitation,
undoing the wrongs of the past, and channelling
attention, energy and funds into maintaining the areas
diverse bird and wildlife and rainforest diversity. KOPEL
has proudly already channelled ten years of sweat,
tears, energy and resources into wetland forest
restoration and recently lake restoration and holds this
as the bowsprit of this program, giving inspiration, hope
and direction to the entire community.

KOPEL is the Community Ecotourism
Co-operative of the Batu Puteh
Community, Lower Kinabatangan
River.

KOPEL is an acronym for KOPERASI
PELANCONGAN which is Malaysian
for Tourism Co-operative.

KOPEL was registered in July 2003
under Subsection 7(1) of the
Malaysian Co-operative Act 1993.

KOPEL's Registration No. is: S-4-685

KOPEL is located in the centre of the
Lower Kinabatangan, Eastern Sabah,
Malaysian Borneo.

KOPEL encompasses the community
of Batu Puteh, which comprises four
(4) villages:
Batu Puteh Village
Mengaris Village
Perpaduan Village
Singgah Mata Village.

KOPEL has 207 members from all of
the four above mentioned villages.

KOPEL was formed to amalgamate
(join) a number of separate village
ecotourism associations such as
MESCOT, Miso Walai Homestay,
Mayo do Talud Boat Service, Wayon
Tokou Nature Guide Service,
MESCOT Culture Group, and the
Tulun Tokou Handicrafts
Associations.

These associations now form
separate management units within
the organisational structure of
KOPEL.

KOPEL proudly encompasses the
management objectives of these
separate associations under the
umbrella of the co-operative.