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Our oceans, our future

  • Publication Date | June 7, 2017
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Marine & Fisheries
  • Issues | Coastal Development, Coastal Ecosystem, Fisheries, Reclamation
  • Tags | Johor, Kedah, marine pollution, Melaka, Penang, Perak, World Oceans Day
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“Our ocean is in serious trouble and the deterioration is increasingly posing a danger to people’s lives, livelihoods and well-being”.  On the advent of the World Ocean Day on 8 June 2017, Mr.Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General of UN DESA said, “The state of our ocean is worrying.”

“Marine pollution, overfishing and other challenges threaten the state of our global waters which cover 72 per cent of the Earth’s surface and is home to between 500,000 and 10 million marine species. The carrying capacity of our ocean has reached its limit,” states Mr. Wu.

Healthy oceans are critical for sustaining life, eliminating poverty and promoting prosperity.  Oceans and seas are also the largest carbon dioxide sink. But the ocean has its limits too and this will result in damaging consequences globally. 

Despite their importance, our oceans and seas continue to be negatively affected by human activities.  Coastal development and land reclamation projects have robbed fishers and communities of use and access to coastal and marine resources. This phenomenon of ocean grabbing dispossesses marine resources and spaces that fishers and coastal communities depend on.  

Fishers and coastal communities in Malaysia have not been spared from these threats as reclamation projects are abound in Kedah, Penang, Perak, Melaka, Johor, Pahang.

Hundreds of hectares of fishing grounds and marine habitat have disappeared due to the craze for reclamation. For example in Penang, the state government plans to reclaim 4,500 acres south of the island, neglecting the heavy toll on fisher communities and marine resources.

The mining of marine sand and aggregates used for development and reclamation is also increasing and causing significant impacts to seabed flora and fauna. Millions of tonnes of sand has to be mined and rocks quarried to create new land.

Dredging and extraction of aggregates from the benthic (sea bottom) zone destroys organisms, habitats and ecosystems and deeply affects the composition of biodiversity.  Research shows that this leads to a net decline in faunal biomass and abundance or a shift in species composition.

Overfishing and destructive fishing also threaten the health of our oceans, livelihood of fisher communities and food security everywhere.  In 2015, trash fish landing in Malaysia was 253,103 metric tonnes. Trash fish which is caught mainly from trawling have little or no market value as human food but used in the production of fish meal. Gradual depletion of fish stocks is imminent with the continued catching of these small and juvenile fishes.

Marine pollution has also increased dramatically due to sewage effluent, industrial discharge, run-offs from land-based activities, ships and other pollutants. Every year, more than 8 million metric tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans. The problems of marine pollution are likely to worsen and pose significant ecological risk, public health risk and cause impacts to fisheries and marine habitats in the coming years.

Climate change will also impact countries with high dependency on the oceans and their marine resources. The melting of ice bergs would raise sea level, affecting low-lying islands and coastal areas. Coastal zones and communities are highly vulnerable to climate change and this will be further exacerbated by other human-induced pressures.

As the oceans warm, phytoplanktons are declining and dying, subsequently affecting our planets life support system, marine species and ecosystems.

To address the issues plaguing the oceans, the United Nations is conducting the Ocean Conference under the theme “Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14” from 5 to 9 June.  The conference is expected to produce a global “Call for Action” with a concrete plan towards a more sustainable future for our oceans.

Effective management of oceans, terrestrial, coastal and marine environment should be initiated from local to global scale to help our oceans help our future.  

S.M. Mohamed Idris
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

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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