
Towards
Environmental
Justice




Latest

Climate Change
Need to heed warnings from mother earth
It is Earth Day once again on April 22. As we have said before, it is not enough to dedicate one day in a year to
April 22, 2022

Pollution & Extractives
SAM supports Penang State Government’s action against non-compliant pig farmers
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) welcomes and supports the Penang State Government’s firmness and proposed action against pig farm operators who do not comply with the Pig Breeding
April 17, 2022

Pollution & Extractives
Sungai Pinang pollution is a long-standing issue
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is not surprised to learn that a tonne of rubbish is being collected from the log boom in Sungai Pinang daily. This
April 12, 2022

Agriculture
Agroecology paves the way for pollinators
“I want viewers to see that everything is connected, even the little guys like pollinators and flowers.” Louie Schwartzberg The simple truth is the human
April 7, 2022

Need to heed warnings from mother earth
- Publication Date | April 22, 2022
- Document Type | Letter to the Editor
- Programmes | Climate Change
- Issues | Adaptation, Agrocommodities, Agroecology, Conservation, Deforestation, Development, Food Sovereignty, Forest Conversions, Forest Degazetting, Indigenous Peoples, International Treaties, Pollution, Toxics, Waste

SAM supports Penang State Government’s action against non-compliant pig farmers
- Publication Date | April 17, 2022
- Document Type | Media Statement
- Programmes | Pollution & Extractives
- Issues | Pollution, Waste

Sungai Pinang pollution is a long-standing issue
- Publication Date | April 12, 2022
- Document Type | Media Statement
- Programmes | Pollution & Extractives
- Issues | Pollution, Toxics, Waste

Agroecology paves the way for pollinators
- Publication Date | April 7, 2022
- Document Type | Articles & Stories
- Programmes | Agriculture
- Issues | Agroecology, Biodiversity, Seeds
What We Do
- Advocacy & Campaigns
- Community Mobilisation
- Education & Awareness
- Legal Support
- Media & Publicity
- Networking
- Research & Publication
- Sustainable Solutions
What We Achieved
since 2000
90000
+
Trees planted in mangrove & degraded forests
0
+
Books & reports published
30
+
Media statements released in a year
900
+
Number of major environmental issues taken up
0
+
Community territories mapped
0
+
Community organisations established
0
+
Communities represented in the courts
1
Agroecology facility set up
100
+
Trainings, workshops & conferences conducted
Testimonials
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.

During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar.
Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara.
SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.

SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.

Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.

My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?

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