Environmental Affairs

Lesson 6: Malaysia - Economic aspirations in conflict with democratic expectations and environmental concerns

NGOs take a stand

The perhaps most articulated and alarming report on the state of Malaysia’s environment is presented by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM). This grassroots, community non-governmental organisation is involved in environment and development issues. In 2001 SAM published “Alert 2001”, a round up of the devastating consequences of the fast track style of development in recent decades on natural resources, ecosystems and communities and their impact on the quality of living.

The book discusses all major environmental problems Malaysia is facing today. Most importantly, it makes the necessary link between short-term profit orientation that is supported by the political leadership with the serious environmental implications of such a short-sighted approach. The book deserves praise for equally pointing out that ordinary Malaysians, especially those who are comparatively affluent, show little if any concern for environmental consequences of their lifestyles (which are imitating and quickly resembling wasteful western lifestyles).

Unfortunately the book is not well marketed in Malaysia itself, except through SAM’s own efforts (local book sellers are reportedly discouraged from carrying such "unpatriotic" literature). SAM also provides the most detailed collection of environmental issues in the form of an “ A-Z of the Malaysian Environment”

( http://surforever.com/sam/a2z/a2z.html ).

As indicated above, forest management is one of the key environmental issues in Malaysia. The spread of palm tree plantations and efforts to extend logging into fragile and biodiversity areas are serious threats to the environment. In an IIED working paper, forest management practices in Malaysia are presented in detail.8 It lends support to the view from the ADB that the key issues in forest management in Malaysia include:

- the control of logging in production forests in order to minimize environmental damage - restoration of forests degraded by shifting cultivation - protection of surviving mangrove forests - the size of areas set aside as protection forest, national parks, wildlife reserves and natural reserves - taxation and revenue sharing policies to adequately capture environmental costs and serve as incentives for efficient use of resources.

At the international level it is worrisome that Malaysia continues to export its unsustainable forest management approaches, in particular with regard to palm tree plantations. Malaysia has embarked on a course of economic expansion to other developing countries, a course that does little in terms of development but can add plenty of social and environmental problems to “partner” countries such as Nigeria or Guyana.

The World Rainforest Movement (WRM) points out the consequences of importing tree species that are alien to local conditions. Concerning Malaysia’s palm oil involvement in Nigeria, WRM reports:

“ Malaysia is the world's top producer and exporter of palm oil, generating fifty percent of the global output, of which 85% is exported. …in Africa, Nigeria is the country having the more extensive oil palm plantations, with at least 350,000 hectares planted to this crop. According to recent news, a Malaysian corporation will begin to invest in Nigeria's palm oil sector, with government support from both countries….. Oil palm plantations are spreading throughout the tropics and in all cases where large-scale plantations of this crop are implemented there are reports of important social and environmental impacts. The jobs they generate are few, seasonal, badly paid and in bad working conditions. Local peoples are deprived of their livelihoods and the overall employment tends to decrease at the local level. Impacts on water, soils and biodiversity are widespread and in many cases lead to high deforestation rates”.

(WRM bulletin Nº 41, December 2000).

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