Environmental Affairs

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

A slipping leader

In the course of the 1990s Malaysia advanced economically to become the showcase economy of Southeast Asia. The economy boomed, thanks to revenues from increased exploitation of the large oil and gas deposits. Palm oil and wood provided additional revenue and ambitious infrastructure and industrialisation programs were initiated. The financial crisis of 1997 severely disrupted the seemingly endless upward trend and not only laid open Malaysia’s economic vulnerabilities, but exposed an over-reliance on extraction of non-renewable natural resources, managed in non-sustainable manners.

Although important economic recovery has taken place, development strategies and polices are largely unchanged. The policies of the past are being pursued with little variation: containing and postponing of sustainability problems for the sake of short-term economic growth remains the usual policy response.

Meanwhile the most pressing environmental problems appear to be shifting from rural woes to urban dilemmas. Urban and industrial environmental management issues are now demanding urgent and effective political attention. With the arrival of rapid economic growth, considerable costs have been incurred in terms of industrial pollution and degradation of the urban quality of life. The key issues in urban and industrial environment management are air quality, waste disposal and adequate clean water supply.

--------------------------------- A look at CO2 emissions in MalaysiaTotal emissions from fuel combustion (million tonnes):

1990: 58.2 1997: 137.2 Change from 1990 (%): +135.7

Per capita 1997 (tonnes): 6.3 (OECD average: 12.8)

Forest area Area 2000 (km2): 192,920 Average annual change 1990-2000 (%): -1.2

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The capital Kuala Lumpur is one of the 15 Asian cities that have the greatest level of pollution from suspended particles, with average reported concentrations far exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Both industry and transport pollute the environment, but it is mainly transport that is responsible for air pollution in Malaysia, accounting for over 75 percent of total emissions in 1995. Lead pollution is entirely due to transport. Income growth and urbanization have changed consumption patterns that in turn have placed a heavy burden on urban solid waste disposal facilities. Unsafe solid waste landfills and illegal dumping of wastes pose serious problems, since enforcement is often hampered by a lack of capacity and legal power of local authorities.

Income growth and urbanization have changed consumption patterns; patterns that have placed a heavy burden on urban solid waste disposal facilities. Flood control in the capital Kuala Lumpur is increasingly difficult as is the steady and sufficient supply of clean water to meet steeply growing demand.

In spite of the outlined problems, there is a good chance that Malaysia can avert irreversible environmental degradation while maintaining a viable economic basis upon which its population can prosper. Malaysia has the potential to set a development example of far more than regional relevance. A new development model that effectively integrates genuine democratization into a socially and environmentally balanced economic agenda and vision, can demonstrate how such linkages provide the fertile ground for sustainable development. Such linkages should not be further delayed unless Malaysia fancies endlessly running behind the few unchecked masters of the globalization jungle, much like an endangered lemur with a sprained ankle limping through the rainforest.

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