Malaysia: Critical pollution issues plague Cameron Highlands

New Straits Times 18 May 13;

KUALA LUMPUR: The Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach), a community based organisation formed by a group of Cameron Highlands residents alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating environment, has called on their newly-elected member of parliament Datuk Seri G. Palanivel to solve the critical pollution issues in the constituency.

Its president, R. Ramakrishnan, said uncontrolled land clearing activities were being carried out in several forest reserve areas, causing river pollution in Cameron Highlands.

"It is learnt that the land is being cleared for illegal vegetable farms. Reach lodged several reports to the authorities, but no action has been taken against," he said.

Ramakrishnan said tests conducted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) researchers revealed that river waters in Cameron Highland were polluted with toxic pesticides and that could affect the residents' health.

"The toxic water pollution is caused by the opening of farms, particularly upstream of the Terla river water catchment areas and treatment plant.

"This will affect the quality of clean water supplied to residents of one of Malaysia's famous tourist destinations," he said.

Meanwhile, Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) deputy secretary-general Foon Weng Lian said the Natural Resource and Environment Ministry, led by Palanivel, should solve the river pollution issue here as the rivers were the source of water supply for the residents.

"The river pollution issue was raised by various non-governmental organisations, but nothing has been forthcoming and the farmers still carrying out the illegal farming activities," said Foon, who is also Water and Energy Consumer Association of Malaysia secretary-general.

Foon said as Cameron Highlands member of parliament, Palanivel should take action to ensure the area is monitored often so that the pollution problem would not get worse. Bernama

Hill clearing was done illegally
Christina Chin The Star 18 May 13;

GEORGE TOWN: The clearing of a hill in Bukit Gambier, Gelugor, which is visible from the Penang Bridge, is illegal.

The state government has direc­ted the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to act against those responsible immediately, State Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said.

“I’ve checked with (State Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Miti­gation Committee chairman) Chow Kon Yeow and he has confirmed that the ongoing works are illegal.”

“He said no approval was given by the relevant authorities,” said Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer yesterday.

Rayer said he would call for a press conference on the matter today.

Last week, Sahabat Alam Malaysia sent a letter to the MPPP to request details of the clearing activities on the hill.

Its president S.M. Mohd Idris said that to date, there had been no response from the council.

“I believe the hill is called Bukit Rumania.

“We were alerted by the public and immediately went to the site to take some photographs and find out what’s going on.

“We then wrote to the council enquiring about whether planning permission had been given, whether the clearing was being done on state or private land and if an Envi­ronmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was conducted before the land was cleared,” he said.

“We demand an explanation,” he said, adding that a reminder letter was sent to the council yesterday.

He said that there seems to be a violation of the hillslope development guidelines and wants to know why the council has been silent on the matter.

On Tuesday, Rayer, in a press conference, had urged the MPPP, state Forestry Department and Northeast District Office to investigate the hill clearing after he was informed by residents.

He said it “looked like” a development project was taking place and it had caused a lot of damage to the environment.

On Monday, Malaysian Nature Society Penang branch adviser D. Kanda Kumar said two of its members hiked up to the site.

However, they found no signboard indicating who the developer was or whether the authorities had given the necessary approval for the hill to be cleared.

Four photos of the site taken on April 13, 21 and 26, and May 6 have been posted and shared on Facebook.