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SAM welcomes amendments to the National Forestry Act 1984 

  • Publication Date | March 7, 2022
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Forests & Biodiversity
  • Issues | Conservation, Deforestation, Forest Conversions, Forest Degazetting
  • Tags | Central Forest Spine, Permanent Reserved Forest
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Photo by Louis from Pexels

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) welcomes the amendments proposed to the National Forestry Act 1984 which were tabled in Parliament last week. We call on Parliament to expedite the process to pass these changes quickly so that they become legally effective. 

This must be followed by all State Governments adopting these amendments soon after, so that they are given legal effect and are enforced properly.

Several of these amendments are what NGOs like SAM have been calling for since many years now. Among the most significant changes proposed which we most welcome are the following:

  • The introduction of a new section 11, replacing the old in relation to the excision of land from the status of permanent reserved forests (PRF).

The new amendment allows such excision to take place subject to two conditions which are significant.

The first condition is that prior to the excision of any PRF, the State Authority is required to conduct a public inquiry (siasatan awam), in accordance with the rules which are to be drawn up subsequently by the State.

This is a very important provision, which currently exists only in the 1985 Selangor Forestry Enactment. Such a provision for a public inquiry prior to any degazetting of PRF ensures transparency, and accountability on the part of the States and is important for ensuring good governance. Without this transparency, decision-making over the degazetting of PRF is shrouded in secrecy, giving rise to concerns including the likelihood of conflicts of interests. So, this is a most welcome move.

What is critical however is to make sure that this public inquiry process is taken seriously by the States and is not a token mechanism, but one which is meaningful and effective, for the sake of good governance.

The second condition is that if the State Authority intends to excise land from PRF status, they must identify and constitute another area of land which is similar in size or is larger to replace the PRF which is to be excised. This is a major improvement over the current law, which gives too much discretion to the States as to whether to provide a replacement area or not.

  • We also welcome the amendment to sub-section 10(1) to include ‘state park forest’ (hutan taman negeri) as an additional category in the classification of what are PRFs.

In this regard, SAM has been calling on States to gazette more of their forests as totally protected forests which cannot be converted for other uses or disturbed by destructive activities such as logging. This should especially be the case in relation to the Central Forest Spine (CFS) and the Heart of Borneo ecological corridors, which must be gazetted as totally protected forests without delay.

  • We also welcome the move to increase penalties for offences under the Act. These are vital to ensure that there is sufficient deterrence to stop prospective violators.

These amendments should not be delayed, and come into force as soon as possible so that our forests are protected effectively, for the sake of all the multiple ecosystem functions they perform, including in flood and soil protection, sustainability of our water resources and in the protection of our biodiversity.

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

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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