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Be consistent: Malaysia’s one step forward, one step back in forestry management

  • Publication Date | March 21, 2022
  • Document Type | Letter to the Editor
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Biodiversity, Conservation, Deforestation, Forest Conversions, Forest Degazetting, Logging, Plantations
  • Tags | EIA, International Day of Forests, KLNFR, Permanent Reserved Forest
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Photo by Louis from Pexels

In conjunction with the International Day of Forests, Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) would like to highlight the importance of being consistent in our efforts on forest protection in this country, both at the federal and state levels.

We would like to begin by applauding four important positive developments on forest protection in Malaysia in the last year. First, in September last year, Selangor decided to re-gazette 534 hectares of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve that had earlier been de-gazetted in August. Second, in December, the 79th National Land Council (MTN) meeting agreed to implement a 15-year moratorium on the development of new monoculture plantations in the Permanent Reserved Forests (PRF) in Peninsular Malaysia. During the same month, the federal government also announced its plan to seek USD3 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to support the development of a national adaptation plan for climate change. Then, during the parliament’s first session in 2022, amendments to the National Forestry Act 1984 were finally tabled which among others, included making public consultations mandatory in any proposed forest degazetting exercise in the future.

These were all correct decisions that will help protect our remaining forests and support climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. Unfortunately however, the good that these wise decisions may be able to do can easily be compromised by a number of avoidable and poor decisions that contradict them. For every far-sighted decision that has been made in the last year that can ensure the greater protection of forests, we can find another decision in the opposite direction that entails forest destruction and degradation. One step forward followed by one step back does not lead us anywhere. To that effect, consistency in our forestry management is key, whether at the federal or state level.

 To date, Selangor has yet to re-gazette parts of the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve, after six months of promising to do so. It was only last week that the Pertahankan Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Utara (PSHKLU) coalition, of which SAM is a member, demanded that re-gazetting exercise is carried out immediately.

Pile of logs in Ulu Muda Forest Reserve | SAM
Pile of logs in Ulu Muda Forest Reserve | SAM

Then, on the moratorium on monoculture plantations in the PRF, total abolishment would in fact be the most effective decision. Why abstain from such forest conversions only for the next 15 years? Will climate change impacts lessen 15 years from now? What is the basis for limiting the moratorium to 15 years? Additionally, Malaysia also remains committed to continue the RM1.5 billion loan for the development of timber tree plantations, which continue to be misleadingly referred to as forest plantations.

Amid all these, on February 23, the media reported on massive forest conversions in Pahang, second only to Kelantan in magnitude. The article also raised the issue of the possible abuse of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, in which it was alleged that some plantation companies may have divided the size of their projects to not exceed 500 hectares. For a monoculture plantation project between 100 and 500 hectares in size, the EIA process does not require mandatory public consultation.

Such an attempt to avoid the EIA process is not a new matter. State governments must be held responsible in failing to ensure that such manipulation does not take place. There is simply no excuse for states not to be aware of it. While we try to move forward to amend the forestry law to enforce mandatory consultations, at the same time, our existing consultation spaces can easily be circumvented through sheer manipulation.

Although we believe that forest conversions should be put to a stop in this country, the threshold of 500 hectares for a monoculture plantation project to undertake an EIA process with a mandatory public participation is a decidedly high one. All forest conversions and monoculture plantations must be made to undergo an EIA process with a mandatory public participation process.

Imagine, living next to a 459-hectare timber tree plantation and not having the right to know more about the project? How can local communities effectively voice their objections if accessibility to information is a challenge? For indigenous communities, the situation may even be worse, such projects can even take place within their customary territories.

In the past year, we have also had to witness several floods, landslides, logjams and mudflows, in particular during the last monsoon season. From rural Kedah to rural Pahang, across the most urban parts of Selangor, these natural disasters have their roots in rampant deforestation and the failure in planning. If state governments continue to allow forest conversions despite our international commitments on forests, biodiversity and climate change; and elements of the plantation sector continue to disrespect the law and community rights, how can international climate funds be sufficient to protect us from future climate impacts? Therefore, on this important day for forests, we would like to call for the federal and state governments to be consistent in their efforts to protect forests and address the impacts of climate change. We cannot afford to pretend to move forward when in reality, we are still staying at the same precarious spot. In the era of climate change, this is akin to just waiting for disasters to happen.

Meenakshi Raman
President

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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

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

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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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