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Act now to prevent future disasters

  • Publication Date | January 20, 2015
  • Document Type | Letter to the Editor
  • Programmes | Climate Change
  • Issues | Adaptation, Deforestation, Forest Conversions, Mitigation
  • Tags | Floods, Green Climate Fund, UNFCCC
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The country is still reeling from the after-effect of the devastating year-end floods that ravaged at least seven states. 

Many are still displaced at temporary shelters and rely on government and well-wishers’ food aid including donations from China and Japan.Besides the initial RM800million allocated for initial flood relief efforts, the government is now staring at a hefty reconstruction bill that may run into billions.

As Malaysia begins to count the costs from the recent disaster, it is imperative that the government conduct a thorough post-mortem on the causes of the massive floods, learn the lessons and prepare for the future. 

We therefore support the views expressed by Martin Khor in his Global Trends column dated 19 Jan in the Star.

As pointed out by the author, “recent events and climate science strongly indicate that the 2014-15 downpour and floods are not one-off events but part of a national, regional and global pattern linked to climate change and extreme weather events.” Hence, in future years, we can expect the situation to worsen.

Khor refers to a paper by the former head of the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) and others, that Malaysia“has experienced increase in temperature, consistent with the global warming trend”. According to the paper, “the global temperature increase has led to changes in weather including major wind patterns, amount and intensity of precipitation, and increased frequency of severe storms and weather extremes.”

Clearly, we have to be absolutely prepared for dealing with extreme weather events in the future. To do this, it is imperative that Malaysia beefs up its climate action plans in mitigation, adaptation and loss-and-damage.

This is not just a matter for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) which is the national climate change focal point, but is a matter for a high-powered coordinating council under the Prime Minister’s Department which also pays attention to disaster-risk reduction and ensures the climate proofing of development plans.

There is urgent need to prioritise climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction by mainstreaming them into development planning. We cannot afford to pay scant attention in this regard, given what we have witnessed in the wake of the recent disaster.

Another top priority must be to address deforestation or the mismanagement of forests. Even the National Security Council’s chairman Datuk Seri ShahidanKassim, who is also minister in the Prime Minister’s Department is now calling for a moratorium on logging.

Our forests are natural flood mitigation and adaptation assets that have been taken for granted and appreciated only for the value of its timber. Deforestation and forest degradation are a major contributing factor in exacerbating the effects of the recent floods, besides the prolonged, heavier-than-usual, year-end rainfall.   

Converting natural forests to monoculture plantations must also share blame for the recent devastation we have witnessed. Plantations are not forests and do not play the same ecological functions as natural forests do in mitigation and adaptation.Hence, the conservation of forests, rehabilitation and replanting of degraded areas with a variety of forests species is critical. 

Also vital, as pointed out by Khor, is having soil conservation as a strategy; the de-silting of rivers and streams; the vast improvement of drainage in urban and rural areas; climate-proofing of buildings, including building new schools and houses on stilts or on pillars in flood-prone areas; protecting coastal areas from storms, winds and high waves including through conserving and replanting mangroves.      

We also agree on the need for a whole set of activities for better management of floods and other disasters, including establishment of permanent evacuation centres; early warning systems; earlier and better systems of evacuation; stocking and distribution of food, clean water, medicines and other essentials to victims; plans for repair and rehabilitation; and the up-front allocation of financing.

It is vital for the Federal and State governments to set aside significant resources for the efforts mentioned above.

In addition, the Federal government can help States by tapping into international funds such as that which is available under the Green Climate Fund (GCF), established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for funding climate actions in mitigation and adaptation, including for the protection of forests. About US$10billion has been committed to the GCF for the next 4 years, and Malaysia can benefit from this.

Let us act now with urgency and take the right steps in preparing for the impending climate related disasters. Let us learn from the lessons and not repeat the mistakes made.

S M Mohamed Idris

President

Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia

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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.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
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.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
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.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
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.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
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.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
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?
Chee Yoke Ling
Chee Yoke Lingstudent of SAM, Executive Director of Third World Network, SAM’s sister organisation

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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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