It began in 2003 when the Sabah State Government approved the proposal to gazette an area of almost 900,000 hectares covering land and sea, to be known as Tun Mustapha Park (TMP). In the thirteen years that led to its official gazettement, WWF-Malaysia led efforts to raise awareness of the proposed park through community consultation, while supporting intensive actions to collaboratively develop an integrated management and zoning plan.
 
As we continue to engage with local communities in Tun Mustapha Park to strengthen buy-in and support for sustainability practices and locally-led natural resource management, WWF-Malaysia is also expanding efforts to the southeastern shores of Sabah to support the Sabah government’s efforts to gazette Darvel Bay as a marine park, a site characterised by unique corals.