DELPHI ANALYSIS IN FORMULATING A FRAMEWORK FOR POLICY AND PLANNING DEVELOPMENT OF OIL POLLUTION ON COASTAL WATER IN THE WEST COAST OF SABAH

Abstract

Effective management of marine oil pollution is essential for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in Sabah's West Coast regions. This study employed the Delphi method, systematically gathering expert opinions through multiple rounds of questioning. Participants included government officials, industry experts, academics, and other stakeholders. Over three rounds of structured questionnaires, 76.47% of respondents identified land-based operations as the main source of pollution (standard deviation: 0.44), and the same percentage agreed that marine biology is the most affected receptor (standard deviation: 0.59). The panel reached a 94.12% consensus on the importance of policies to prevent oil pollution (standard deviation: 0.24). These results provide valuable guidance for Sabah, supporting improvements to the current framework and aiding the development of effective strategies for preventing and remedying oil pollution.