Malaysia: NGO calls for transparency in meeting environmental goals

The Star 23 May 15;

PETALING JAYA: Dirty rivers, black smoke and rubbish strewn everywhere. It is always the “same old, same old” every year.

While many plans have been drawn up for the environment and conservation, lack of enforcement has always been the problem.

Malaysian Nature Society national council member Vincent Chow said the only way forward was for the authorities to be transparent.

“Release quarterly reports and tell us truthfully where we stand. Statistics show that we have brought down the emission of greenhouse gases but do we actually see this?” he asked.

Chow said what was seen were lorries and factories spewing black smoke, rivers polluted with waste and rubbish strewn everywhere.

“We need strict enforcement ... the authorities need to stop making policies and go to the ground to see what is actually happening,” he said.

Chow also said that when it came to the environment and conservation, constant updates were a must.

“Make reports public and tell us what has been done, what has failed to be done and what can be done,” he said, adding that awareness programmes were also crucial.

Chow said pollution affected all Malaysians and most of them were more than willing to pull their weight if given full information.

He urged the Government to tell the public which environmental goals in the 10th Malaysia Plan had not been achieved so that these could be worked on.

Preserving the environment is one of the six strategic thrusts under the 11th Malaysia Plan.

Among the goals are delaying climate change, enhancing conservation efforts and reducing greenhouse gases by up to 40% over the next five years from the 2005 levels.

Sabah green groups: We can’t fast-track projects
The Star 23 May 15;

KOTA KINABALU: The 11th Malaysia Plan’s target of cutting greenhouse emissions, tackling climate change and protecting biodiversity is needed to ensure a greener Malaysia, but success will depend largely on the Government’s commitment.

Sabah Environmental Protection Association president Lanash Thanda welcomed the target but noted that many development projects under the 11MP, including power plants, ran contrary to the green efforts.

“We cannot fast-track these projects. The letter of every environmental law must be adhered to because past examples of fast-tracking projects have done irrepa­rable damage to the environment,” she said.

She also hailed the Government’s assurance of doing away with the “grow first, clean up later” development model, which would help the country move towards a resilient, low-carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive society.

This socially inclusive development model, she added, should be the basis for any development for the proposed Kaiduan water supply dam that had been rejected by the communities affected.

Lanash also said that economic transfor­mation projects should not be pushed through without complying with environmental laws.

Among the other green initiatives under the 11MP are the conservation of at least 17% of terrestrial and inland water areas, as well as designating 10% of coastal and marine areas as protected.