Malaysia: Cameron Highlands - The worse is yet to come, warn environmentalists

New Straits Times 9 Nov 14;

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Wednesday’s mud floods and landslides in Bertam Valley, Ringlet and Kuala Terla are just the beginning of more disasters to strike the highlands, warn environmentalists.

They said the highlands would see the horror of more floods and landslides if land-clearing continues. They are asking for regular monitoring and stringent enforcement on all land-clearing activities to be in place to ensure that they are not carried out at the expense of the environment.

Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach) president R. Ramakrishnan said the situation would turn from bad to worse if no short-term and long-term solutions were found.

“The similar disaster in Bertam Valley here on Oct 23 last year merely served as a warning. Wednesday’s incident is the beginning of more disasters to come. We are currently on auto-pilot mode and have yet to hit turbulence. The worse is yet to come,” he said after taking reporters to see the destruction happening on the highlands.

Checks showed that the road and river reserves from Kampung Raja right up to Bertam Valley and Ringlet had been encroached on for illegal farming activities.

Hidden behind the Cameron Highlands trunk road were vast plots of illegal dumping sites. Rotten vegetables, flowers and bags of fertiliser were thrown into the rivers.

According to Ramakrishnan, water from these rivers flowed through a 10km tunnel to the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam in Bertam Valley.

He alleged that the “out-of-control” illegal land-clearing activities was made worse “with rampant corrupt practices from top-down”.

“I can show you that illegal land-clearing activities are taking place despite the authority’s ‘No Encroachment’ signs being put up. If this is not corruption, then prove me wrong.”

He claimed that political interference also aggravated the situation.

Environmental Management & Research Association of Malaysia president Ellias Saidin cited the improper planning of agriculture land in the highlands as the main cause of the tragedy in Bertam Valley.

“The whole world is affected by climate change and extreme weather conditions. The rainfall pattern has changed and it’s high time for the authorities and developers to engage in proper development planning to not worsen the condition.

“Land is exposed when it is used for agriculture and it seems difficult, or rather, we don’t see any enforcement to address this issue,” he told the New Sunday Times.

Ellias said developers needed to be responsible and adhere to guidelines, such as by building drainage and water retention systems.

Malaysian Nature Society president Professor Dr Maketab Mohamed said the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the National Security Council, Pahang government and other agencies should play a major role in enforcement.

“Coordination of various agencies is crucial. Floods, if not 100 per cent preventable, can be controlled. Ignoring the facts is just asking for the repeat of past tragedies.”

Permata Greenland Organisation deputy president Dr Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir said the authorities should be proactive, stressing that development should come with contingency plans.

“All felling of trees must be followed-up with replanting. The authorities must control all development on hills and ensure a proper drainage system. Besides the local authorities, the developers should obtain approval from a geologist.”

Ramakrishnan called on the relevant parties to get their act together if they were serious in solving the problems on the highlands.

“If nothing is done in another 10 years, Cameron Highlands will no longer be a pristine hill resort.”

‘Camerons rivers failed to cope with heavy rain’
BY THARANYA ARUMUGAM New Straits Times 9 Nov 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: THE floods in Cameron Highlands were caused by discharge following heavy rainfall that the river system in the district could not cope with.

Drainage and Irrigation director-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Husaini Sulaiman said the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and relevant authorities would look into measures to mitigate the issue to prevent such tragedies from recurring.

“DID officials will work on improving the rivers, which includes widening, excavating and constructing flood walls. We will also provide flood plains.

“No buildings or any activity will be allowed along river banks or reserves,” he told the New Sunday Times yesterday.

Ahmad Husaini said RM40 million had been allocated for work to improve Sungai Bertam, which would commence soon.

As for Sungai Ringlet, he said the department was in the midst of finalising the planning and design, as well as awaiting the allocation of another RM40 million to be approved by the ministry for the upgrading works.

He also said the authorities would manage or stop development along the river basins because the extra discharge into the river was caused by land clearing activities, as well as the use of plastic houses for agricultural activities.

He said the public should also stop throwing rubbish into rivers.

Land clearing continues as flood fears grip town
PATRICK LEE The Star 9 Nov 14;

CAMERON HIGHLANDS: Even as police searched for those washed away by Wednesday’s floods, it was business as usual – as far as land clearing was concerned.

On Friday, opposite the Kea Farm market, heavy machinery was flattening a large patch of land while tourists shopped nearby. Work only seemed to stop the following day, likely due to the rain which fell throughout the day.

Ten years ago, visitors here were greeted by rolling hills with lush forests and rivers carrying clear running water.

Today, there are vegetable farms almost everywhere, some even on the steep slopes. And what little is left appears to have been taken over by construction, with an upcoming shopping centre downhill from Kea Farm towards Tringkap.

Other buildings are just a stone’s throw away from nearby rivers, with only a muddy slope in between.

The constant land clearing here has irked many, such as Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach) president R. Ramakrishnan.

He said warning signs set up by the district office were ignored by farmers, who seemed to have no problem manning fields stretching from the main road to the rivers.

There is also no restraint on the dumping of rubbish and unwanted vegetables and flowers into the rivers.

Silt from poor soil management here has turned many of the rivers murky.

Ramakrishnan said dirt and rubbish had raised river levels, and affected the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam.

The effects can be clearly seen with landslides and large cracks seen on one stretch of the main road.

Even Kuala Terla’s town signboard, near where C. Munesh, 15, was swept away by floodwaters, has fallen into a riverbank.

With the dam filled to the point of overflowing, many residents, especially those living downstream, are fearful of a downpour.

Ramakrishnan cautioned that unless the Govern­ment took drastic action, things would get a lot worse here.

“Last year was a warning. This year is just the beginning,” he said.

‘Make Camerons a national park’
FAZLEENA AZIZ AND REBECCA HANI ROMELI New Straits Times 9 Nov 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: CAMERON Highlands needs to be gazetted as a national park as it is one the most environmentally and ecologically-sensitive areas in the country with vital water catchments and forest reserves.

Universiti Sains Malaysia flood hazard management and climate expert Prof Dr Chan Ngai Weng said because of its fragility, steep slopes, heavy rainfall and shallow soil, the Pahang government should work with the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to gazette the highlands as a national park.

Chan, who spent five years doing research on Cameron Highlands, said there should be strict control on development through detailed environmental impact assessments (EIA) on the area.

He said the Environment (DOE), Drainage and Irrigation, Forestry and Health Departments, together with the Cameron Highlands District Council (MDCH), should be leading the effort with frequent monitoring and stricter enforcement.

“The MDCH should also expedite its master plan to guide development in the area with strict guidelines. Every development needs a detailed EIA, but looking at the present scenario (at the highlands), all developments should be frozen.”

Chan said there was currently no eco-audit for tourism, agriculture and housing on the highlands.

“The DOE should be the main body overlooking this together with the state government and MDCH, but there is a lack of consultation, collaboration and cooperation due to sector-based developments.”

He said deterioration of the environment in Cameron Highlands could not be blamed squarely on one sector or any group, adding that there was a need for education and awareness among tourists and developers on the do’s and don’ts.

“The highlands in Malaysia are unique ecosystems rich in bio-diversity and natural resources, but research in highland ecosystems is lacking and a great deal of flora and fauna have not been documented,” Chan said, adding that more research was crucial to understand the various ecosystems.

Among his other recommendations was to maintain the quality of river water in Cameron Highlands, which had deteriorated alarmingly. He said the rivers there, especially those used for water supply, should be protected and restored.

“This can be done by gazetting the river reserves and buffer zones, monitoring water pollution, having an integrated water supply to farms, advocating drip irrigation for farming, forcing polluters to pay principle, and generating greater levels of environmental awareness and education among stakeholders.”

Chan said most of the land degradation was caused by the traditional practice of excavating hill slopes and farming on exposed land.

He said the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry should recommend farmers to adopt good practices. This could be done by promoting the recycling of organic farm waste into compost, use crop coverings instead of farming on exposed land, terracing the hill slopes and adopting drip irrigation.

Chan said Cameron Highlands, being one of the top tourist destinations in the country, should also be looking at sustainable standards to avoid overcrowding and high human intervention in an ecologically-sensitive area.