SAM wants govt to formulate policy on mangrove forest
The Star 24 Dec 09;
PENANG: Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) has urged the government to draw up a specific policy on the mangrove forest to ensure that the forest would not be destroyed to enable development activities to be carried out.
Its president, SM Mohamed Idris said the policy should include the conservation of the mangrove forest and outline the measures that would be implemented to achieve the objective.
"Priority should be given to preserve the mangrove swamp area," he told reporters here, Thursday.
He also wanted the mangrove forests to be stated in the Forestry Acts as a permanent forest reserve.
He said the tsunami that hit several countries on Dec 26, 2004 should always be remembered and the conservation of the mangrove forest was important as the forest could lessen the impact of the disaster.
"It appears as though we have never learnt from the destruction caused by the tsunami. We continue to destroy the mangrove forests for development," said Mohd Idris. - Bernama
