SENIOR LECTURER in Environmental Resource Management
MSc. (MSU)
BSc. (UPM)
Tel: +6082582966

Research activities
Management of recreation, tourism and forest resources.

My research interest in environmental resources management includes environmental resources conservation, non-consumptive utilization of natural resources and investigation into the relationship of development and environmental issues. Over the years, there has been a significant increase in challenges faced in managing environmental resources due to increasing demand for environmental resources and stiff competition for economic growth in the global market economy.  Meanwhile, poverty, scarcity and uneven distribution of resources and technological constraints have further aggravated global environmental problems including faced by many developing nations.  

Environmental resources (including air, water and other renewable and non-renewable resources) are considered vital in promoting continuous economic growth as well as in sustaining a balance of environmental ecosystem. Hence, an understanding of a holistic environmental management approach from both technological and social perspectives is vital in managing environmental resources to avoid or to minimize negative consequences on economy, social and environment.   

My current research interest is environmental governance and reform in particular in the forestry sector. Since the 1950s, the Southeast Asian region’s economy has been heavily dependent on exploitation of its tropical timber for export market. However, uncontrolled exploitation of the tropical forests has resulted in depletion and degradation of the forest resources leading to increasing international and domestic community pressures that has affected changes in forest utilization and governance over time. It is interesting to investigate environmental resources (such as forest resources) governance processes and means to attain sustainable development.

Selected publications - Refereed Journals

Abas, S., Nor Emel, F.J. & Norazirah, A. (2009). An Assessment of Quality Service in National Parks: A case study of Gunong Mulu National Park. The ICFAI Journal of Environmental Economics, Vol. 7(2), pp. 74-88.

Ahmad, S.  Abas, S. & Fazlina, Y., (2009). Factors influencing satisfaction of visitors on services and facilities in Bako National Park. FEB Working Paper Series, No. 2.

Rajah, R., Shazali, A.M., and Abas, S. (2002). Economic Growth and the Environment. International Journal of Business and Society, Vol. 3 (2), pp. 69-86.

Alias, R., Shazali, A.M., Abas, S., and Afizah, M. (2001). Willingness of Local Tourists to Pay for Conservation of Tourism Spots in the Damai District Sarawak. ASEAN Journal on Hospitality and Tourism, Vol. 1 (1), pp. 53-62.


Selected publications - Proceedings

Norazirah, A. & Abas, S. (2010). Customer Satisfaction and Service Quality within Festival and Special Event. Knwledge Management International Conference 2010 Proceeding.  

Abas, S. & Yusuf, H. (2008). Konsep & Pendekatan Penbuhan Taman Rekreasi Hutan Bakau Tanjung Manis, Sarawak. Prosiding Konferensi Antarauniversiti Se Borneo-Kalimantan.Universitas Mulawarman, Samarinda, Kalimantan Timur, Jld 2, ms. 449-456.  

Norazirah, A. & Abas S. (2005).  Ecotourism Development & Forest Resources Conservation: Maludam National Park. Proceedings of the 5th EATOF Tourism Symposium, Jilin, China, 2-4th September 2005.  

Abas, S. (2002). Forestry and the Environment: The Case of Sarawak. Proceedings of ENRICH Conference 2002, Managing the Environment in Developmental States: Asia Perspectives. Wageningen University.

Abas, S. & Ahmad, N.Y. (2000). Strategies for Partnership Toward Better Local Service Quality. Proceeding of the International Symposium on Inter-Regional Partnership for Tourism Development in East Asia. Kangwon-do & Kangwon Development Research Institute.

Abas, S. (1999). The Prospects and Challenges of Tourism Development in Sarawak. Proceeding of the International Symposium on East Asia Tourism Promotion Toward a New Millennium. Kangwon Development Research Institute & Kangwon Province.

Abas, S. (1993). The rehabilitation of the tropical rainforests ecosystems: Cooperative research between UPM and YNU. In H. Leith and M. Lohmann (eds.), Restoration of Tropical Forest Ecosystems. Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Yusuf, H. and Abas, S. (1992). Planting of Indigenous Species for the Rehabilitation of Tropical Forest: The Bintulu Project. In S. Ahmad Said, et al. (Eds.) Indigenous Species for Forest Plantations (pp. 36-44). Faculty of Forestry, UPM Serdang, Selangor.