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Managing a forest reserve in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

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Managing a forest reserve in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

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ISSUE
-Logging activities in Balah forest reserve in Gua Musang
-Logging activities has gone unchecked since March after the country’s leading timber certification organisation suspended auditing there.
-The Malaysian Timber Certification Council claimed the state authorities and loggers had failed to adhere to international standards and guidelines for forest management.

IMPACT
-The river that run through Balah forest reserve is heavily polluted
- Disturb the 'Orang Asli' communities that have been living around the area.
- Lost of water catchment area

AHMAD ARIF BIN MOHD SALLEHUDDIN
126113

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Kelantan govt: Logging has led to environmental degradation in Gua Musang area - Nation | The Star Online

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KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government says logging activities in the Balah forest reserve in Gua Musang has led to environmental degradation, particularly rivers which run through it.

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Issue
1.       The top soil became loose as a consequence of uprooting bulldozing and surface disturbances.
2.       The increase of soil particles to sheet erosion or displacement by wind or rain was a major concern since it will increase volume of slit content in surface run off during heavy rainfall.
3. The run off from the site will contribute significant sediment loads to the receiving water.
4.       Demolition waster included asbestos, zincs planks, wood beams wiring, glass and pipes. The waste from this demolition also includes hazardous such as oil.
Cause
1.       The construction of high-rise apartment building at Gambier Penang, during the clearing of the land (8.1acres) for construction, due to the location of the site was on slopes with contours ranging from 20 to 55m in elevation and gradients of 5 degree > 26 degree.
2.       The project of construction of high rise housing in Bayan Lepas, Penang, a total area of 14.1 acres with terrain ranging from 10 to 80 m in elevation.
3.       Development of marina and jetty infrastructure at church street pier, pengkalan Weld Penang, was located in the midst of a regional commercial and tourist hub with existing transportation, communication and energy infrastructure. Two types of construction were land based and sea based.  The main activities were demolition of existing pier followed by construction of a new pier, a marina building and ancillary buildings and structures.

Franklin Orujekwe
127235

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Issue: Malaysia government lost millions due to poor management of environment ecosystem.

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Issue: Malaysia government lost millions due to poor management of environment ecosystem.

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-  In 2016, Bukit Merah resident face the worst history as the lake is drying up at an alarming rate.

- However, El- Nino during 2016 makes cause the case to be worse where the dry rate speeds up.

- This is due to states council gives permission for boer goat farm to operate in Hutan Simpan Pondok Tanjung which is a water catchment area for Bukit Merah.

- Bukit Merah lake is filled with muds and runoff from projects at Hutan SImpan Pondok Tanjung.

- Opening of the farm caused illegal farmers to operate illegal palm oil and orange plantation.

- There is no action from states authority until today eventhough NGOs have reported the illegal activities.

- States govenment have to spend lots of cost to recover the lake
Muhamad Fahmi Bin Isa
126157

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BUKIT MERAH: About 250,000 people in Kerian district will face water rationing if the water level at the Bukit Merah dam drops to 5.1 metres.

State Public Utilities, Infrastructure, Energy and Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said if the present dry condition persists, it would only take only 23 more days for the water level at the man-made lake to reach critical level.

"The water level at the lake has reached 5.97m today (Monday), which is very alarming.

"This is the worst in history," he said after visiting the lake here today.

Although the authorities had been conducting the cloud seeding since April 12, it had failed to produce rain due to a lack of suitable clouds.

"We have also stopped releasing water from the dam for agricultural activities as the focus now is for domestic use.

"At present, the reservoir is supplying 120 million litres of water daily to two treatment plants in Gunung Semanggol, which is lower than the previous 150 million litres daily before," he said.

Bukit Merah Laketown Resort assistant director (sales and marketing) Aslina Ahmad said they have been significantly affected by the El Nino phenomenon, with the number of visitors dropping 50 per cent in the past few months.

Although the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island was closed for more than two weeks when it became inaccessible by boats, she said the resort and its water-theme and eco-adventure parks are still open as usual.

"The only activities that had to stop are the ones at the lake," she said.

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Bukit Merah dam water shortage 'the worst in history' [VIDEO]

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BUKIT MERAH: About 250,000 people in Kerian district will face water rationing if the water level at the Bukit Merah dam drops to 5.1 metres. State Public Utilities, Infrastructure, Energy and Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin said if the present dry condition persists, it would only take only 23 more days for the water level at the man-made lake to reach critical level.

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River Pollution in Johor.

Issue:

1. The ammonia content in Sungai Johor as in Oct 2017 has reached an excessive level.

2. It is believed that this serious river pollution was caused by agricultural-related activities especially the fertilizer industry.

3. The fertilizer farm nearby that believed to be the main reason causing the ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor, this year.

4. An illegal fertilizer processing plant located near Layang-Layang in Kulai which also contributed to the pollution.

5. A nearby poultry farm which had caused ammonia pollution in the same river twice (December 2016 and August 2017).

Impacts:

1. The high ammonia content has caused a temporary shut-down of the operation plants at Sungai Johor, Semangar and Tai Hong.

2. The disrupted water supply has caused inconvenience to the consumers in several area in Johor including Kulai, Iskandar Puteri, Kota Tinggi and Johor Bahru.

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Issue: Flash flood in Penang

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Problem of water pollution in Malaysia is becoming serious

Issues

1.   In Klang and Kuala Langat specifically, water quality of coastal waters was at a decline.

2.   Polluted rivers also had adverse effects on plants and living organisms as well as the country’s economy.

3.   The cost of treating polluted water was high and with severely polluted waters, treatment for consumption was not even possible.

Causes
1.   This, he said, was due to increase in waste dumping into upstream river ways, especially from housing and industrial areas, as well as from discharges from human activities such as farming and land development.

2.   Rapid economic growth has exerted severe constraints on present water utility infrastructure, especially in areas with high economic growth like the Klang Valley.

3.   An increase in the population leads to higher demand for water supply which leads to a higher discharge of waste water.

4.   “Waste water from residential, commercial and industrial areas causes foul smell, especially with the presence of garbage that deteriorates the quality of storm water and pollutes the existing river system,” Sharma explained in a statement today.

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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24, 2015:

With the World Rivers Day just around the corner, the World Wide Fund (WWF) Malaysia is calling on Malaysians to place serious attention on the issue of water pollution in the country.

WWF Malaysia CEO Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma said the issue had become a serious problem in Malaysia and had led to negative impact on the sustainability of the country's water resources.

In Klang and Kuala Langat specifically, water quality of coastal waters was at a decline.

This, he said, was due to increase in waste dumping into upstream river ways, especially from housing and industrial areas, as well as from discharges from human activities such as farming and land development.

"Rapid economic growth has exerted severe constraints on present water utility infrastructure, especially in areas with high economic growth like the Klang Valley.

"An increase in the population leads to higher demand for water supply which leads to a higher discharge of waste water.

"Waste water from residential, commercial and industrial areas causes foul smell, especially with the presence of garbage that deteriorates the quality of storm water and pollutes the existing river system," Sharma explained in a statement today.

He said humans aside, polluted rivers also had adverse effects on plants and living organisms as well as the country's economy.

Sharma added the cost of treating polluted water was high and with severely polluted waters, treatment for consumption was not even possible.

According to the environment quality 2013 report by the Department of Environment, 5.3% of a total 473 rivers were polluted with 36.6% slightly polluted.

"Although the percentage of polluted rivers decreased by 1.7% compared with the year 2012, the percentage of rivers being slightly polluted increased by 2.6%.

"The problem of water pollution is now becoming more serious with reports indicating a downward annual trend," he warned.

Sharma said in conjunction with World Rivers Day on Sept 27, Malaysians were urged to ponder on the importance of maintaining the nation's rivers.

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Problem of water pollution in Malaysia becoming serious, says WWF - The Rakyat Post

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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24, 2015: With the World Rivers Day just around the corner, the World Wide Fund (WWF) Malaysia is calling on Malaysians to place serious attention on the issue of water pollution in the country. WWF Malaysia CEO Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma said the issue had become a serious problem in Malaysia and ...

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Activities harming UNESCO Global Geopark status.docx

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Emerging Issues Towards S
 Emerging Issues Towards Sustainable River Basin Management in
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
Ainul Fatihah Binti Mohamed Zaki (126116)
Ainul Fatihah Binti Mohamed Zaki (126116)
Title: Freshwater, groundwater, coastal  pollution due to low management of animal poultry farms' waste in Nibong Tebal, Penang 

Issues: 

1. Canal water and groundwater pollution due to direct animal wastes release from the farms into the canal.
2. Have potential to cause pollution at the coastal area around the area of second bridge toll plaza, where the pollutants can flows along the river to the coastal area
3. Causes ecosystem collapse and affects food production.
4. Affects residents also, as a very unpleasant smell and also too much abundance of flies.
5. Farming License problem and also attitude problem to continuously abide to the rules

Causes/Impacts:

1. The biological waste from the animal poultry farms (e.g. pig, chicken and duck farms), a.k.a their dungs are directly being thrown away into the nearby canal, without any proper treatment prior to the release of the waste. Seberang Prai Municipal Council president, Datuk Rozali Mohamud admitted tat the 43 pig and 57 poultry farms in Valdor were “delinquent”.

2. Caused the canal to be more severely polluted. The Water Quality Index reading during 2015 shows that the canal water contained 94 times more ammoniacal nitrogen concentration, compared to a Class Five rivers, where it is the severely polluted class. The reading of biological oxygen demand (BOD) reading was 187, while chemical oxygen demand (COD) was 721.6, which is about 3 times polluted than a sewage pond that just about 200. An 20-year environmental expert, Patrick Tan, said that this more worsening pollution is bringing threat to the ecosystem around the area and also affects food production.

3. As the canal flow nearby the farms is just 3.8 km from the second bridge toll plaza, it may impact the coastal area as it splits and flows into the sea through Jawi River. This will also affect the fish farms along Jawi Estuary. 

4. Seberang Perai Municipal Council has doing their regular checking on the farms for every month. However, it is obviously the farm owner's attitude problem as they are continuously break the license rules, even after being fined. Besides that, the State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman, Dr Afif Bahardin said that, The Penang Pig Farming Enactment 2016 cannot be enforced because the detailed licensing regulations have yet to be approved, as it is still under second revision by the state legal adviser. 
Ng Yang Qing (131303)
Ng Yang Qing (131303)
Emerging Issues Towards Sustainable River Basin Management in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia 

by Tan Kok Weng and Mazlin B. Mokhtar 

A total of six water related problems were identified namely:
soil erosion, 
solid waste, 
water borne diseases, 
degradation of water quality, 
degradation of freshwater ecosystem 
water supply shortage. 

In term of causes, the respondents highlighted seven causes of water problems namely:
legal land clearing, 
illegal legal land clearing, 
uncontrolled river water abstraction in upstream, 
poor solid waste management, 
low awareness of local community, 
haphazard planning and development, 
administration mistake. 
As conclusion, this paper identified the water related issues by local opinion. With rapid urbanization in Cameron Highlands, problems related to water and other resources are expected to intensify. Cameron Highlands needs to be managed in an integrated and holistic manner such as through the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) which treats a river basin as a geographical unit. 
Yew Ker Ming (126210)
Yew Ker Ming (126210)
Logging in Malaysia’s Ulu Muda forest threatens wildlife and water supplies

Issues:
1. Expanding timber industry (logging) has turned the water a milky brown as rain washes the soil from the logged hillsides into the river. 
2. The flood triggered by heavy rain washed mud and sand downstream, swamping Sri Lovely's rice fields and destroying the crops. 
3. Logging creates access for the poacher and hunter.
4. Despite rising anger from NGOs and the state of Penang, which accused Kedah of “gambling” with the water supply by continuing to log, local authorities insist there has been no effect on water quality.

Cause:
1. Most of the logging is being legally done. 
Although the federal government imposed a ban on logging in the reserve in 2003, local authorities have allowed commercial logging to increase over the past decade.
2. Examining audit reports, maps and satellite imagery for a report on Kedah forestry, logging in the state was “highly dependent” on primary forest, that there had been “recent, heavy logging” in water catchment forests, as well as land clearing and logging at elevations above 1,000 meters.
Wan Taniah Binti Md Isa (126205
Wan Taniah Binti Md Isa (126205

Mangrove forest to make way for road upgrade

Issues:
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) is worried about the effects from a road upgrading project cutting through the mangrove forest in Sepang. The 10km-long Jalan Besar Sala (B48) will be upgraded in stages, from the single-lane road to four-lane dual carriageway. This is because the residents have been complaining about heavy congestion anytime in the say.  It take about 15 minutes to travel 9km in normal traffic flow but it take more than double the time at peak hours or when there were numerous heavy vehicles on the road.

Cause:
70 mangrove tress would be felled due to the project. among the tree species is the crabapple mangrove (sonneratia caseolaris) which are critically endangered species crucial to the breeding of fireflies. The road works also affect the upstream of Sungai Sepang, which are the most sensitive part of a waterway as seeds from mature trees are carried by the river to vegetate the area downstream. The Mangrove forest also filter for water runoff from Pekan Sepang, Desa Indah and the oil palm estates in Bukit Pelanduk and Sepang, without it, sullage, sedimentation and siltation will affect the livelihoods of fishing villages downstream. Lastly, floods may occurs in the nearby housing areas once the existing bund and vegetation are removed.

NURULHUDA BINTI SUHAIME (126190)
NURULHUDA BINTI SUHAIME (126190)
Forest fire

Issues:

Forest fire in Selangor Reserved Forest. Kuala Langat North Forest Reserved is peat swamp forest type. Sensitive to hot season and fire. An area of importance for biodiversity conservation supporting rare species like the Malayan Sun Bear and the black form of the clouded leopard. The forest is also of signicant importance to indigenous people (Orang Asli) communities that have lived in the area. 

Cause:

Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve is a forest reserve has been coming under increasing pressure by its surrounding development and large portions have been impacted by fire in recent years. This had led the area to peat fires and oxidization; indirectly contribute to carbon emission and global warming.



Ramendhirran Govindasamy (126196)
Ramendhirran Govindasamy (126196)

 Erosion and land slides.

Issue: 
Landslides and ecological degradation have persistent to be serious issues and have imposed great damage on the economy and quality of life. In Malaysia, cases like landslides at Gua Tempurung, North-South Highway (2004), landslides at Ulu Kelang and Selangor (2003-2007) got the attention from authority and the public.

Causes: 
It usually occurs from vegetated land that is disturbed by development, agriculture, or from stream banks that are worn away. Slopes with a gradient equal to or greater than 25% are generally unstable and must be protected as once disturbed, are easily eroded and very difficult to stabilize.


Puteri Nadhirah Bt Megat Ahmad Kamil (126195)
Puteri Nadhirah Bt Megat Ahmad Kamil (126195)
Social media threaten the wildlife

Issue:  
'In the case of the killings of the elephants, what brought about their demise was the publicity given to them, especially their sabre tusk. With images of the mini elephants going viral, these got the poachers’ interest'

'The choice to publicize and protect must be based on secrecy, particularly the whereabouts of animals’ location, while making conservation solutions urgent'

Cause:
Images posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can give away animals location by downloading digital data attached to the images, will reveal their location.

Many cameras and smartphones record the time and location where images are taken. This data is transferred when photographs are uploaded

Poachers are scouring social media looking for leads on where to find endangered species

Consequence
Publicity could either generate financial and political support to prevent the species from becoming extinct or it may backfire when publicity creates threats that were previously absent









Nurul Ain Binti Mustafa (126181)
Nurul Ain Binti Mustafa (126181)
Water pollution is the biggest issue that could occur when managing an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). 

Issue:
"Decreasing water quality affecting Putrajaya Lake and Wetlands"
It has been identified that the only issue plaguing the Putrajaya Lake and Wetlands was pollution and decrease of water quality, said the supervisor of the UNESCO ecohydrology demonstration site, Dr Rahmah Elfithri.

Causes:
Institute for Environment & Development (LESTARI), which has been studying the situation at the Putrajaya Lake and Wetlands from the beginning of its participation in the UNESCO programme, found that the most prominent form of pollution were the rubbish littering the lakesides. The volume of rubbish would multiply every time an event involving a number of participants or visitors were held in the area.
Other than that, the main contributors of the turbidity are the recreational and business activities that are often held at Putrajaya Lake, such as water sports programmes. 

Gaythiri a/p Seenee (126999)
Gaythiri a/p Seenee (126999)
Dredging threatens Turtle Landing sites

Issue: 
Sand dredging is destroying a known turtle landing site in Pasir Panjang, Segari, Manjung. Dredging is very likely to frighten away the turtles and destroy the physical structure of the coastal area, rendering the area unsuitable for turtles arriving to lay eggs. 

Causes:
Dredging will alter the shape of the estuary and river bed, plus  disrupts the tidal currents and natural hydrological processes.
Sand dredging at night with lights and noise may cause disturbances that keep turtles from coming to shore. Long-term dredging will also impact the area’s ecosystem and endanger the habitat of other animals in the area. It is unknown where the dredged sand brought to. Normally, it is done for construction purpose and others.
Nor Syahirah bt Kamarulzaman (126171)
Nor Syahirah bt Kamarulzaman (126171)
Drowning out the noise

Noise pollution from urban development area

Issues:
"Noise is a recognised pollution source and an accepted consequence of big project. Two or three decades ago, people were more tolerant but with technology and exposure to higher noise control standards overseas, Malaysians now expect a better quality of life, sonically speaking"

Example:
Noise and vibration from construction impact sensitive receptors like houses, school, hospitals, and residential areas

Other causes of noise:
The use of roads, railways, airports, road traffic and other construction

Example of constructions in Malaysia:
Recent MRT projects in Klang Valley have raised the bar in Malaysia because of stringent noise control requirements imposed by the Department of Environment (DOE). 

The first few LRT projects in Malaysia-the Star and Putra lines in the Klang Valley

All the construction above didn't have noise control measures because there weren't any guidelines then and the EIA requirements were not as tight. Thus, flooded with noise pollution complaints during those projects.

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Emerging Issues Towards Sustainable River Basin Management in
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

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Ainul Fatihah Binti Mohamed Zaki (126116)

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Ainul Fatihah Binti Mohamed Zaki (126116)

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Title: Freshwater, groundwater, coastal  pollution due to low management of animal poultry farms' waste in Nibong Tebal, Penang

Issues:

1. Canal water and groundwater pollution due to direct animal wastes release from the farms into the canal.
2. Have potential to cause pollution at the coastal area around the area of second bridge toll plaza, where the pollutants can flows along the river to the coastal area
3. Causes ecosystem collapse and affects food production.
4. Affects residents also, as a very unpleasant smell and also too much abundance of flies.
5. Farming License problem and also attitude problem to continuously abide to the rules

Causes/Impacts:

1. The biological waste from the animal poultry farms (e.g. pig, chicken and duck farms), a.k.a their dungs are directly being thrown away into the nearby canal, without any proper treatment prior to the release of the waste. Seberang Prai Municipal Council president, Datuk Rozali Mohamud admitted tat the 43 pig and 57 poultry farms in Valdor were “delinquent”.

2. Caused the canal to be more severely polluted. The Water Quality Index reading during 2015 shows that the canal water contained 94 times more ammoniacal nitrogen concentration, compared to a Class Five rivers, where it is the severely polluted class. The reading of biological oxygen demand (BOD) reading was 187, while chemical oxygen demand (COD) was 721.6, which is about 3 times polluted than a sewage pond that just about 200. An 20-year environmental expert, Patrick Tan, said that this more worsening pollution is bringing threat to the ecosystem around the area and also affects food production.

3. As the canal flow nearby the farms is just 3.8 km from the second bridge toll plaza, it may impact the coastal area as it splits and flows into the sea through Jawi River. This will also affect the fish farms along Jawi Estuary.

4. Seberang Perai Municipal Council has doing their regular checking on the farms for every month. However, it is obviously the farm owner's attitude problem as they are continuously break the license rules, even after being fined. Besides that, the State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman, Dr Afif Bahardin said that, The Penang Pig Farming Enactment 2016 cannot be enforced because the detailed licensing regulations have yet to be approved, as it is still under second revision by the state legal adviser.

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NIBONG TEBAL: The reek of dung pervades the air in a gated community on the mainland of Penang, where several thousand residents live only about 100m from a cluster of pig, chicken and duck farms.

Rapid development in South Seberang Prai, especially near the second Penang bridge, has put residential communities within a stone's throw of the farms in Valdor.

"If only you can put the smell in your newspaper so that others will know what we are going through," lamented one resident.

Not only the residents are affected. The groundwater pollution level is so high that it threatens the marine environment and seafood production, as the effluent run-off from the farms flows into the sea not too far away.

Unfortunately, although an expert says the waste management is relatively simple, the state government cannot do much at the moment to compel the farms to shape up or ship out.

Seberang Prai Municipal Council president Datuk Rozali Mohamud admitted the 43 pig and 57 poultry farms in Valdor were "delinquent".

"We check on them every month. When they break the licensing conditions and get fined, they clean up for a while but start being dirty again after some time," he said.

There is pending legislation that could help, but it is apparently tangled in red tape.

The Penang Pig Farming Enactment 2016 cannot be enforced because the detailed licensing regulations have yet to be approved, said State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin.

"The Pig Farming Licensing regulations are still under second revision by the state legal adviser," he said in a statement last week, in response to a Malay daily report on Feb 28 about fishermen who complained that raw pig waste was flowing into the sea from rivers.

"Farms that exceed permissible (effluent) levels will have their livestock transfer permits revoked," Dr Afif said, explaining that without the permit, they would not be able to sell their livestock.

Dr Afif had earlier said that by next year, the state aimed to make all livestock farmers practise closed farming systems, which include waste treatment and having a 200m buffer zone from residential zones.

Signs of groundwater pollution from the farms are evident in a canal that flows from Valdor to Bandar Cassia, near the second bridge toll plaza.

Two residents have taken water samples from the canal.

"We will have tests done and show it to the Veterinary Services Department ourselves," said Jack Chew, one of the two.

In 2015, The Star reported that the Water Quality Index of this canal had 94 times more ammoniacal nitrogen than a Class Five (severely polluted) river.

The biological oxygen demand (BOD) reading was 187, while chemical oxygen demand (COD) was 721.6 - indicators that the ecosystem is "all gone", said environmental consultant Patrick Tan.

Even a typical sewage pond's COD is around 200, he added.

COD and BOD are measures used to determine the effect effluents will have on bodies of water.

"At that level (721.6), the ecosystem of the canal and the river it feeds will be all gone. No fish can survive," he said yesterday when shown the analysis of a canal flowing out of the farms in Valdor.

Tan, an environmental consultant for over 20 years, pointed out that although the pollution may not directly harm human life, it was "devastating to the environment and affects food production".

The canal flows for only 3.8km before reaching the second bridge toll plaza. It also splits and flows into the sea via Sungai Jawi.

There are many fish farms about 3km from Sungai Jawi's estuary, off Pulau Aman and Pulau Gudung.

Tan said the pollution can also bring long-term damage to the marine environment.

"South Seberang Prai is the most polluted part of Penang. There are many other environmental issues (involved)," Tan said.

He said the biological waste produced by the farms is relatively simple to treat.

"Just have treatment ponds that are properly aerated. Make sure bacteria is growing healthily and the waste can be discharged safely in about three days," he said.
Related story: Long-suffering residents want state govt to act on farms

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Woeful time for folks at township due to foul smell from animal farms - Nation | The Star Online

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NIBONG TEBAL: The reek of dung pervades the air in a gated community on the mainland of Penang, where several thousand residents live only about 100m from a cluster of pig, chicken and duck farms. Rapid development in South Seberang Prai, especially near the second Penang bridge, has put residential communities within a stone's throw of the farms in Valdor.

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Emerging Issues Towards Sustainable River Basin Management in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

by Tan Kok Weng and Mazlin B. Mokhtar

A total of six water related problems were identified namely:

soil erosion,

solid waste,

water borne diseases,

degradation of water quality,

degradation of freshwater ecosystem

water supply shortage.

In term of causes, the respondents highlighted seven causes of water problems namely:

legal land clearing,

illegal legal land clearing,

uncontrolled river water abstraction in upstream,

poor solid waste management,

low awareness of local community,

haphazard planning and development,

administration mistake.

As conclusion, this paper identified the water related issues by local opinion. With rapid urbanization in Cameron Highlands, problems related to water and other resources are expected to intensify. Cameron Highlands needs to be managed in an integrated and holistic manner such as through the Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) which treats a river basin as a geographical unit.

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Logging in Malaysia’s Ulu Muda forest threatens wildlife and water supplies

Issues:
1. Expanding timber industry (logging) has turned the water a milky brown as rain washes the soil from the logged hillsides into the river.
2. The flood triggered by heavy rain washed mud and sand downstream, swamping Sri Lovely's rice fields and destroying the crops.
3. Logging creates access for the poacher and hunter.
4. Despite rising anger from NGOs and the state of Penang, which accused Kedah of “gambling” with the water supply by continuing to log, local authorities insist there has been no effect on water quality.

Cause:
1. Most of the logging is being legally done.

Although the federal government imposed a ban on logging in the reserve in 2003, local authorities have allowed commercial logging to increase over the past decade.
2. Examining audit reports, maps and satellite imagery for a report on Kedah forestry, logging in the state was “highly dependent” on primary forest, that there had been “recent, heavy logging” in water catchment forests, as well as land clearing and logging at elevations above 1,000 meters.

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Mangrove forest to make way for road upgrade

Issues:
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) is worried about the effects from a road upgrading project cutting through the mangrove forest in Sepang. The 10km-long Jalan Besar Sala (B48) will be upgraded in stages, from the single-lane road to four-lane dual carriageway. This is because the residents have been complaining about heavy congestion anytime in the say.  It take about 15 minutes to travel 9km in normal traffic flow but it take more than double the time at peak hours or when there were numerous heavy vehicles on the road.

Cause:
70 mangrove tress would be felled due to the project. among the tree species is the crabapple mangrove (sonneratia caseolaris) which are critically endangered species crucial to the breeding of fireflies. The road works also affect the upstream of Sungai Sepang, which are the most sensitive part of a waterway as seeds from mature trees are carried by the river to vegetate the area downstream. The Mangrove forest also filter for water runoff from Pekan Sepang, Desa Indah and the oil palm estates in Bukit Pelanduk and Sepang, without it, sullage, sedimentation and siltation will affect the livelihoods of fishing villages downstream. Lastly, floods may occurs in the nearby housing areas once the existing bund and vegetation are removed.

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MALAYSIAN Nature Society (MNS) is worried about the effects from a road upgrading project cutting through the mangrove forest in Sepang.

According to the staff at MNS' Sepang Environmental Interpretive Centre, the 10km-long Jalan Besar Salak (B48) will be upgraded in stages starting from the junction at Simpang Tiga Jenderam up to Pekan Sepang Lama.

The project by Selangor Public Works Department (JKR) will widen the single-lane road to four-lane dual carriageway.

Residents have been complaining about heavy congestion anytime in the day.

Sepang Municipal councillor Henry Thong said it would take about 15 minutes to travel 9km in normal traffic flow but that would take more than double the time at peak hours or when there were numerous heavy vehicles on the road.

"We received a notice that trees will be chopped down from March 19 onwards," said MNS executive director Shanmugaraj Subramaniam (pic below).

He said about 70 trees would be felled.

He noted that the road works would affect the upstream of Sungai Sepang, which was deemed the most sensitive part of a waterway as seeds from mature trees were carried by the river to vegetate the area downstream.

"Among the tree species here is the crabapple mangrove (sonneratia caseolaris), a critically endangered species crucial to the breeding of fireflies," he explained.

He also pointed out that the mangrove was a filter for water run off from Pekan Sepang, Taman Murni, Desa Indah and the oil palm estates in Bukit Pelanduk and Sepang.

"Without it, sullage, sedimentation and siltation will affect the livelihoods of fishing villages downstream," he added.

Shanmugaraj fears floods may occur in the nearby housing areas once the existing bund and vegetation are removed.

He said an embankment would be built but still had his doubts.

"Have the consultants taken into consideration how high the river water will rise when it rains?

"I was told that a one-channel flow will be built to handle water inflow but is it enough to handle the volume of water coming from the surrounding areas?" he questioned.

The mangrove forest surrounding the interpretive centre is a sanctuary for diverse marine habitat. Otters, monkeys and monitor lizards are often spotted here.

Shanmugaraj said upon receiving notice that the land had been taken up for the project, an appeal was sent to the Selangor Mentri Besar which was then forwarded to Selangor Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong, who urged JKR to observe the limitations of the riverine reserve and preserve its banks.

Wong also suggested that the centre's 105-year-old building be preserved for its historical value.

She also asked JKR to obtain the views of MNS on the environmental impact brought on by the B48 project.

To this, JKR replied that the taking over of the mangrove forest was a necessary move to solve the worsening traffic woes on route B48. However, the department gave assurance that it would take every effort to ensure the current ecosystem was preserved and would replant the trees.

A project consultant spokesman said all efforts concerning the ecological aspects of this project had been optimised.

Meanwhile, Selangor Infrastructure and Public Facilities Committee chairman Zaidy Abdul Talib said last month that felled trees would be replanted in an area of 2,259sq m.

Zaidy asked for the public's understanding and patience as the project was a necessary step for economic progress.

Roadworks are expected to begin on Monday

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Mangrove forest to make way for road upgrade - Metro News | The Star Online

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MALAYSIAN Nature Society (MNS) is worried about the effects from a road upgrading project cutting through the mangrove forest in Sepang. According to the staff at MNS' Sepang Environmental Interpretive Centre, the 10km-long Jalan Besar Salak (B48) will be upgraded in stages starting from the junction at Simpang Tiga Jenderam up to Pekan Sepang Lama.

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Forest fire

Issues:

Forest fire in Selangor Reserved Forest. Kuala Langat North Forest Reserved is peat swamp forest type. Sensitive to hot season and fire. An area of importance for biodiversity conservation supporting rare species like the Malayan Sun Bear and the black form of the clouded leopard. The forest is also of signicant importance to indigenous people (Orang Asli) communities that have lived in the area.

Cause:

Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve is a forest reserve has been coming under increasing pressure by its surrounding development and large portions have been impacted by fire in recent years. This had led the area to peat fires and oxidization; indirectly contribute to carbon emission and global warming.

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Bomba battling two large fires in Selangor forest reserves - Nation | The Star Online

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SHAH ALAM: Two large fires in the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in Bestari Jaya and the Kuala Langat Utara Forest Reserve near here have been brought under control and efforts are ongoing to extinguish remaining flames.

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Title:

Tourism activities caused damage to corals in Marine Park (Pulau Perhentian Besar & Pulau Perhentian Kecil)

Pulau Perhentian, Terengganu, is famed for its marine life and clear waters which is an ideal combination for great diving and snorkeling. It is made up of a cluster of islands which are known as Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Perhentian Besar and a few smaller islands to the north. Great snorkel and dive sites can be found at reefs with names like Coral Garden, Sugar Wreck, Tiger Rock and Tanjung Besi. Over the last five years, the amount of living corals has stayed largely consistent. Surveys done by conservation group Reef Check Malaysia from 2007 to 2010 showed that live corals coverage is between 35% and 48% of the reef and this coverage can be considered fair.

Issue:

Hard coral species at dive sites in Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil are in danger of being completely destroyed by divers and snorkelers due to less awareness such as stepping on corals while diving and snorkeling. Most of the amateur divers and snorkelers caused some of the dive sites corals damaged, such as Genus Acropora hard coral when some divers stepped on the corals posing for their pictures.

Mostly it was caused by discovery divers or first-time divers whom taking on a diving course. Meanwhile in shallow reefs, snorkelers stepped on the hard corals with their flippers due to excitement to stay buoyant. Seasoned divers mostly appreciate the beauty of the coral and they are more knowledgeable about corals compared to amateur divers and snorkelers. 12 popular dive sites coral reefs was obviously damaged when the fish and crustaceans was no longer abundant. Besides that, oil leakage from boating activities and non-degradable waste by visitors also can harm the coral reefs community.

Solution:

Dive operators need to educate their staff and customers about the importance of corals and apply sustainable eco-tourism. Divers or locals can monitor the reefs and report to the authorities if they find any illegal activities.

Recreation and tourism areas can be confined to specific zones, and if properly designed and controlled, can be significant assets to the Marine Park by facilitating education, providing cultural exchange and generating revenue. Zonation also renders protection from damaging activities to sensitive habitats, confines intensive use to sites that can sustain it, and separates incompatible activities. Zones can also be used to limit a certain number of people in a particular area so that adverse impacts from their activities are minimized or avoided.

The tour operators shall submit the total number of their guests before they conveyed into the park and they must know which island area that they can go. By doing this, it can balance the distribution of visitors in the island so that they do not concentrate in a certain area or an island. Through this effort, the distribution of visitor can be controlled.

https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2017/09/275779/careless-people-damaging-our-corals

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Erosion and land slides.

Issue:
Landslides and ecological degradation have persistent to be serious issues and have imposed great damage on the economy and quality of life. In Malaysia, cases like landslides at Gua Tempurung, North-South Highway (2004), landslides at Ulu Kelang and Selangor (2003-2007) got the attention from authority and the public.

Causes:
It usually occurs from vegetated land that is disturbed by development, agriculture, or from stream banks that are worn away. Slopes with a gradient equal to or greater than 25% are generally unstable and must be protected as once disturbed, are easily eroded and very difficult to stabilize.

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Puteri Nadhirah Bt Megat Ahmad Kamil (126195)

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Puteri Nadhirah Bt Megat Ahmad Kamil (126195)

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Social media threaten the wildlife

Issue:
'In the case of the killings of the elephants, what brought about their demise was the publicity given to them, especially their sabre tusk. With images of the mini elephants going viral, these got the poachers’ interest'

'The choice to publicize and protect must be based on secrecy, particularly the whereabouts of animals’ location, while making conservation solutions urgent'

Cause:

Images posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can give away animals location by downloading digital data attached to the images, will reveal their location.

Many cameras and smartphones record the time and location where images are taken. This data is transferred when photographs are uploaded

Poachers are scouring social media looking for leads on where to find endangered species

Consequence
Publicity could either generate financial and political support to prevent the species from becoming extinct or it may backfire when publicity creates threats that were previously absent

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Elephants are no match for poachers. The killings of two Borneo pygmy elephants show that poachers abound in almost every corner of the country, waiting to strike.

In the past, pygmy elephants were victims of poisoning, reportedly by oil palm plantation workers to deter elephants from eating oil palm fruits. Last September, some elephants got stuck in a mud pool in Rinukut for a week, leaving seven of them dead.

Concerted effort and protection by agencies and political willpower are needed to save wildlife in Sabah.

Piecing together a conservation area four times the size of Penang will not help if Class I totally protected forest reserve can be degaz-etted again or fragmented by a bridge in the sanctuary.

In the case of the killings of the elephants, what brought about their demise was the publicity given to them, especially their sabre tusk.

With images of the mini elephants going viral, these got the poachers' interest.

Images posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can give away animals' location.

Poachers are scouring social media looking for leads on where to find endangered species.

Many people are unaware that poachers can use photographs of rare lions, tigers and elephants to find and kill them, by downloading digital data attached to the images, which will reveal their location.

Many cameras and smartphones record the time and location where images are taken.

This data is transferred when photographs are uploaded.

In this age of extinction, we love to trumpet rare or unique findings of animals, revealing biological and geographical data.

The choice to publicise and protect must be based on secrecy, particularly the whereabouts of animals' location, while making conservation solutions urgent.

Publicity could either generate financial and political support to prevent the species from becoming extinct or it may backfire when publicity creates threats that were previously absent.

Any unique find requires conservation intervention. Whether a species is listed as endangered or threatened depends on a number of factors, including the urgency and whether protection exists through other means.

The Guardian newspaper reported that academic journals have begun withholding the geographical locations of newly-discovered species after being warned that the data is helping poachers and smugglers drive lizards, frogs and snakes into near extinction with their collection.

Endangered animals and plants are often the target of wildlife crime because of their rarity.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has guidelines prohibiting the publication of location data for endangered species of high economic value.

It is time our wildlife is not at risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death or injury through publicity.
S.M. MOHD IDRIS
President, Sahabat Alam Malaysia

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Elephants are no match for poachers. The killings of two Borneo pygmy elephants show that poachers abound in almost every corner of the country, waiting to strike. In the past, pygmy elephants were victims of poisoning, reportedly by oil palm plantation workers to deter elephants from eating oil palm fruits.

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Water pollution is the biggest issue that could occur when managing an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA).

Issue:
"Decreasing water quality affecting Putrajaya Lake and Wetlands"

It has been identified that the only issue plaguing the Putrajaya Lake and Wetlands was pollution and decrease of water quality, said the supervisor of the UNESCO ecohydrology demonstration site, Dr Rahmah Elfithri.

Causes:
Institute for Environment & Development (LESTARI), which has been studying the situation at the Putrajaya Lake and Wetlands from the beginning of its participation in the UNESCO programme, found that the most prominent form of pollution were the rubbish littering the lakesides. The volume of rubbish would multiply every time an event involving a number of participants or visitors were held in the area.
Other than that, the main contributors of the turbidity are the recreational and business activities that are often held at Putrajaya Lake, such as water sports programmes.

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Dredging threatens Turtle Landing sites

Issue:
Sand dredging is destroying a known turtle landing site in Pasir Panjang, Segari, Manjung. Dredging is very likely to frighten away the turtles and destroy the physical structure of the coastal area, rendering the area unsuitable for turtles arriving to lay eggs.

Causes:
Dredging will alter the shape of the estuary and river bed, plus  disrupts the tidal currents and natural hydrological processes.
Sand dredging at night with lights and noise may cause disturbances that keep turtles from coming to shore. Long-term dredging will also impact the area’s ecosystem and endanger the habitat of other animals in the area. It is unknown where the dredged sand brought to. Normally, it is done for construction purpose and others.

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SAND dredging is destroying a known turtle landing site in Pasir Panjang, Segari, Manjung, say environmental bodies

The activity, near the estuary of Sungai Puyu, was spotted bylocal fishermen who then informed several environmental non-governmental organisations.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the organisation is concerned with the activity as the area is one of the main turtle landing sites in Perak.

"We are concerned that it will adversely affect the main turtle landing area here.

"Based on the Second National Physical Plan, all turtle landing areas in Peninsular Malaysia are classified as Environmentally Sensitive Areas Rank 1 and no development or land-use change is permitted except for low-impact nature tourism, research and education," Mohamed Idris said, adding that the coastal area from the Pasir Panjang Recreational Forest to Pasir Pandak Beach, Tanjung Hantu, is a frequent turtle landing area.

"Turtle-egg collectors appointed by the Fisheries Department have often discover nests here," he said.

"In fact, the coastal area and sandbanks near the estuary of the Puyu River are where most turtle nesting areas are found," Mohamed Idris added.

He said the dredging is very likely to frighten away the animals and destroy the physical structure of the coastal area, rendering the area unsuitable for turtles arriving to lay eggs.

"It will alter the shape of the estuary and river bed, aside from disrupting the tidal currents and natural hydrological processes.

"We are also concerned that sand dredging at night with lights and noise may cause disturbances that keep turtles from coming to shore," he said.

"Another possible impact is coastal erosion," he added.

Other organisations and experts joining SAM in voicing concern over the matter are Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia, Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Sejahtera Malaysia, Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam, Turtle Conservation Society Malaysia, Persatuan Rekreasi Alam Sekitar Perak, and water quality expert Prof Dr Maketab Mohamed of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Mohamed Idris said the long-term impact of the dredging will not only effect the turtle landing area, but also impact the area's ecosystem and endanger the habitat of other animals in the area.

"We hope the state will consider stopping and not permitting any activity and land-use conversion that will impact an area that, under the government's own definition, is an environmentally sensitive area.

"We also hope that the state or the relevant agencies would comply with and adopt physical plans, especially the National Physical Plan and other related policies, to protect the environment," he said.

According to SAM field officer Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman, apart from an excavator, a barge and pipes have been in the area for at least a week.

He said the beach was a landing site for the endangered Green and Olive Ridley turtles.

The turtles land and lay their eggs in the area between March and June.

Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam assistant secretary Noor Ismady Ahmad Radzuan said he had checked with the Drainage and Irrigation Department and was told that the dredging activity was to alleviate flooding issues in Segari.

"Let it be known that the affected area is mostly oil palm plantations and there are no people staying nearby.

"We find it really suspicious as to why the river os being deepened there," he said, adding that there is also a signboard stating the area is being dredged for sand.

"We are also suspicious as to where the sand that is being removed is going," he added.

Noor Ismady said he is saddened by the activity in the area.

"We have been doing so much conservation work to ensure the environment here is looked after.

" Just last year, we found several turtle nest here with eggs, at the very spot the dredging is being conducted," he said

"We have already lodged a report to the Manjung District Office and hope the DID will also look into what is actually going on in the area," he added.

When contacted, a State Land and Mines Department spokesman said they the matter is being investigated.

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Dredging danger threatens turtle landing site - Metro News | The Star Online

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SAND dredging is destroying a known turtle landing site in Pasir Panjang, Segari, Manjung, say environmental bodies The activity, near the estuary of Sungai Puyu, was spotted bylocal fishermen who then informed several environmental non-governmental organisations. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president S.M.

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Drowning out the noise

Noise pollution from urban development area

Issues:
"Noise is a recognised pollution source and an accepted consequence of big project. Two or three decades ago, people were more tolerant but with technology and exposure to higher noise control standards overseas, Malaysians now expect a better quality of life, sonically speaking"

Example:
Noise and vibration from construction impact sensitive receptors like houses, school, hospitals, and residential areas

Other causes of noise:
The use of roads, railways, airports, road traffic and other construction

Example of constructions in Malaysia:
Recent MRT projects in Klang Valley have raised the bar in Malaysia because of stringent noise control requirements imposed by the Department of Environment (DOE).

The first few LRT projects in Malaysia-the Star and Putra lines in the Klang Valley

All the construction above didn't have noise control measures because there weren't any guidelines then and the EIA requirements were not as tight. Thus, flooded with noise pollution complaints during those projects.