Taking the

MENGO’s Initiatives Towards Sustainable Development

Green Path

Under the sponsorship of

Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)

A project of

Malaysian Environmental NGOs (MENGO)

© Malaysian Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (MENGO)

Any part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior consent from the publisher. Acknowledgement is requested as below:

Taking the Green Path: MENGO’s Initiatives Towards Sustainable Development

Published byMalaysian Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (MENGO)c/o Environmental Management Research Association of Malaysia (ENSEARCH)30-2 Jalan PJU 5/16, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, MalaysiaTel: 603 6157 5708 Fax: 603 6157 6707Email: mengo@tm.net.my Website: www.mengo.org

Printed byPercetakan Seasons Sdn Bhd3 Jalan 8/155, Taman Industri Bukit OUGJalan Klang Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur

Print 2010

Text Editing/Design & Layout byPublic Media Agency Sdn Bhdwww.publicmediaagency.netcommunity • communication • change

ISBN 978-983-44338-1-9

9 433819789834

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

IntroductIon

wAste mAnAgement educAtIon SMART Ranger Recycling Programme

mAnAgIng lImIted wAter resources Smart Partnership at Work

preservIng our herItAge “Guardians” of Tasik Chini

conservAtIon oF specIes Living in Harmony with Nature

protectIng mArIne ecosystems Disappearing Jewels

roAd bAck to nAture Natural Farming

cItIzen pArtIpAtIon Introducing Local Agenda 21 in Malaysia

FAcIng A globAl chAllenge Mobilising Malaysians on Climate Change

Shafinaz Shahabudin

Dr. Chan Ngai Weng

Sunitha Bisan Gunasegaran

Syazreen Sara Sukor

Norsalila Aris

Norsalila Aris

Nithiyananthan Nesadurai

Chow Kok Kee

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We must continue to build ‘people power’ as the ultimate capacity and insurance for sustainable development.Foreword

This book was initiated during the chairmanship of the late Bishan Singh. In his own words: “Civil society, while supporting many initiatives by government and businesses, must not be lulled into a situation of dependence for the greater advancement of humanity. We must continue to build ‘people power’ as the ultimate capacity and insurance for sustainable development.”

Taking the Green Path is a rich record of the experiences and realities of putting ideas into action. The journey from project implementation to documentation (in this book) has indeed been significant to demystify the limiting pessimism in thinking of sustainable development.

This book is published in memory of Chow Kok Kee who passed away in 2009 before the book was completed. His contribution to the chapter on Facing a Global Challenge is very much appreciated.

Dato’ Dr. Dionysius SharmaChairperson, MENGOExecutive Director/CEO, WWF-Malaysia

The idea for this book arose six years after the formation of MENGO (Malaysian Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations). There was an interest to showcase the initiatives that were implemented by members of MENGO with various communities for various reasons. It was also vital to underscore the importance of the people’s participatory process in environmental management and conservation.

Taking the Green Path highlights two major achievements. Firstly, it shows how communities are strengthened and their capacity built to participate in the management of their environment. Secondly, it captures how individual initiatives have created new ground, made headway in community participation, and gained useful insights on sustainability. It supports the premise of inclusiveness and shared responsibility in environmental management.

This book underscores the importance of the people’s participatory process in

environmental management and conservation.

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Acknowledgements

MENGO Support Unit, headed by Dr. Sundari Ramakrishna – for coordinating the work from first draft to publication.

Adelaine Tan – special thanks for taking the initial steps to organise the framework and development of this book.

Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) – special appreciation for financially supporting this book.

Patricia Pereira and Sunitha Bisan Gunasegaran – for providing attention to detail in editing the drafts.

Members of MENGO – for contributing ideas, guidance and support in the development of this book.

Authors of the eight chapters – for providing useful insights into implementation and project outcomes, and for sharing their experiences for the benefit of all who labour for a greener world.

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At the Sundance Film Festival in 2006, former US Vice President Al Gore presented a documentary film on climate change, titled An Inconvenient Truth. The film received mixed responses from film critics, scientists, politicians, environmentalists and the general public. Some criticised it as “exaggerated” and “erroneous”, while others hailed it as a welcome wake-up call to those still oblivious to environmental changes. These responses accurately reflect the current realities of public apathy towards the environment and its sustainability.

This book is inspired by the innovative initiatives and strong energies of MENGO. On the whole, MENGO works on a variety of issues – from policy interventions to community mobilisation. These initiatives are responses to the fact that serious attention is needed to ensure proper management of our nation’s natural resources. These resources sustain life and wealth, but are increasingly being misused and abused.

Hopefully, examples of efforts and sharing of perspectives will inspire others, especially Malaysians, to further the environmental and sustainable development agenda. Our environmental problems are global in nature, and becoming more complex by the day. However, we must believe every action can make a difference. MENGO will continue to walk this journey, and hopes many more Malaysians will take the ‘green path’. p

While every journey begins with a single step, the journey itself is determined by the path choosen. The Malaysian environmental movement’s journey is unique in its experience, challenges, successes and roadblocks. In 2001, a significant milestone was marked with the formation of MENGO, a loose coalition of environmental NGOs in Malaysia. This formation was made possible with Danish assistance, and MENGO’s commitment, to make the environment a priority in national development.

In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development issued the Brundtland Report titled From One Earth to One World, and defined sustainable development as being able to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The report states that the “strategy for sustainable development aims to promote harmony among human beings and between humanity and nature.” The report ignited a global debate, resulting in the 1992 Rio Summit where the debate on the need to integrate environment and development was central. Ten years later, at Johannesburg, the debate was still on.

IntroductionMENGO will continue to walk this journey, and hopes that many more Malaysians will take the ‘green path’.

We must believe every action can make a difference.

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management by the concession holders. Despite several flaws, the law is an initiative towards encouraging the Malaysian public to practise the three Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The government is also studying other new methods of waste management, including refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and material-recovery facilities. Besides relying solely on sanitary landfills, there is a pressing need to educate Malaysians on the virtues of recycling, which is not limited to selling old newspapers to the ‘old newspaper’ man.

Malaysians need to be enlightened that much of the ‘rubbish’ they throw every day could be turned into valuable resources.

With depleting resources in the world, recycling is a good practice to help preserve the environment and reduce the mountains of trash that are deposited every day at the landfills.

In the following article, find out how Cikgu Ong Kien Eik from Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Kelana in Petaling Jaya got his students and fellow colleagues to become SMART Rangers.

A study quoted by the 2001 by the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) for the Waste Not Asia Conference in 2001 in Taipei, Taiwan, revealed that organic waste for residential areas range from 62 – 72%. Disposal of solid waste is done almost solely through the landfill method, and in most cases, open dumping is practised. In the Seventh Malaysia Plan (1995 – 2000), RM20.9 million was spent on building nine sanitary landfills, and upgrading 27 existing ones throughout the country.

Some RM17 million was also spent on purchasing seven mini-incinerators with a capacity of 5 – 20 tonnes per day to be operated in the resort islands of Langkawi, Labuan, Tioman and Pangkor. In July 2007, the government announced that it would build more sanitary landfills in an effort to address solid waste disposal problems following the cancellation of the controversial RM1.5 billion Broga incinerator project.

Recently, the government passed the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Bill 2007, heralding a new era of improvement in solid waste collection and

All nations and people need to understand how the earth’s natural systems work. Providing the understanding, information, tools and skills, and inspiring the commitment – that is the job of environmental education. – Donella H. Meadows

Waste Management Education

Malaysians need to be enlightened that much of the ‘rubbish’ they throw every day could be turned into valuable resources. 1

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their old newspapers, and got the school to allocate a storeroom to store the newspapers collected. The idea proved to be successful as the school managed to raise a few hundred Ringgit from the competition.

Buoyed by the healthy response to his initiative, Cikgu Ong began exploring the possibility of expanding the school’s recycling efforts. In 2004, he invited Dr. K. Kalithasan, of the Global Environment Centre (GEC), an environmental NGO, to give an awareness talk on recycling to the school. With the help of GEC, SK Sri Kelana became the first school in the country to start a SMART (Start Managing All Resources Today) Ranger programme.

Under the programme, a team of dedicated students and teachers were selected to be trained as SMART Rangers by officers from GEC, waste management company Alam Flora and the local authority by using a module developed by GEC. The module emphasised the 4R2C concept – Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Compost & Close the Loop. These SMART Rangers would then shoulder the responsibility of educating their peers on the importance of recycling and proper solid waste management.

Getting the programme off the ground was not easy, admitted Cikgu Ong. “We identified several students who we thought had the potential to spearhead this effort but not all of them were short-listed to undergo training. First, they had to undergo a test.” While the students did not have to ‘burn any midnight oil’ to sit for the test, qualifying as a SMART Ranger required a different ability. SMART Rangers should not be afraid of literally getting their hands dirty, and to prove it, students were required to rummage through piles of garbage.

It was after attending a recycling programme organised by the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) in 2003 that Cikgu Ong, a teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sri Kelana, proposed a fundraising project. He organised a competition to promote cleanliness in school by selling old newspapers. He encouraged students to bring

Recyclable collection and separation on Friday

SMART RANGER RECyClING pROGRAMMEShafinaz Shahabudin

Many parents were very supportive ofthe SMART Ranger programme.

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The SMART Ranger programme was established mainly to raise awareness on proper waste management.

SMART Rangers. “Then, during an athletic meet at the stadium, where we were on duty to collect recycled items to take back to the school, some secondary school boys threw rubbish around on purpose, and asked us to pick them up.”

“In the beginning, it was difficult; I was disgusted at the prospect of going through the rubbish,” said Munirah, head of the SMART Rangers. “It was slimy and there were worms but I did as Cikgu Ong asked me to.” Many of the students echoed Munirah’s sentiments.

Cikgu Ong also had to dispel the perception held by concerned parents that the programme would be hazardous to the health of their children. “Many parents were uncomfortable as they felt that the programme was unhygienic, and therefore, unhealthy for their children,” said Cikgu Ong. “They were confusing recycling with rubbish collection.”

Aside from the negative responses, Cikgu Ong also had to contend with the problem of storage. The newspaper-filled storeroom in the school was beginning to attract termites, and the recycling bins that were put up outside the school gates were being used as rubbish bins by passers-by.

“There were some challenges in the beginning, but the SMART Ranger programme wasn’t established just to raise funds for school activities,” maintained Cikgu Ong. “That had become secondary to raising awareness on the importance of proper waste management, so it was important for us to persist with our efforts in order to achieve this objective.”

While the SMART Rangers learnt to overcome their misgivings and disdain for rubbish sorting, they faced a hard time with their peers, family members and even strangers, who taunted them by calling them garbage collectors and replacement workers for MPPJ.

“My brother told me, ‘looks like you’re an MPPJ worker now’,” said Keerthana, secretary of a batch of

SMART Rangers measuring the height of collected newspapers

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T-shirts and caps for SMART Rangers. Last year, SMART Rangers collected almost 13,000kg worth of recyclable items. While newspapers and other types of paper were the most common items brought in, they also collected items like Tetra Pak and e-waste, making them the first school in the country to do so. With some of the money they earned, as well as some funding assistance from MBPJ and GEC, SMART Rangers managed to purchase a cabin measuring 40ft by 10ft for storage of all recycled items collected. Furthermore, students’ participation as SMART Rangers has doubled in number, and they have successfully rallied the entire school to hop on the recycling bandwagon. About 70% of the school community brings items from home every Friday to be recycled.

“Many parents are very supportive of the SMART Ranger programme now. One of them, Tuan Haji Aminuddin, a Parent Teacher Association committee member, goes around buying newspapers from his neighbours to bring to the school,” said Cikgu Ong. “Then, there is Puan Sarina Jaafar, our canteen operator, who brings her van to help us with the logistics whenever we have an exhibition.”

As for the SMART Rangers, they’ve certainly come a long way from their initial repulsion and disdain for rubbish. “When a hotel approached me with the suggestion of sending some of their staff to help with the sorting of rubbish for recycling, the SMART Rangers protested,” smiled Cikgu Ong. “They said if you let them do it, Cikgu, then we won’t have a job!” p

Shafinaz Shahabudin is the programme officer of the RIVER Care Programme. She manages environmental projects and implements environmental education programmes.

The tide began to turn in favour of the SMART Rangers when The Star newspaper sent a reporter to write a story on them. “After the article came out, everybody wanted to be involved with the programme,” Cikgu Ong mused. “Not only was there more interest among students and teachers, the SMART Rangers begin receiving invitations to participate in environmental programmes and activities.”

In 2005, the SMART Rangers participated in a Recycling Expo organised by Petaling Jaya Town Council (MPPJ), where they gave a talk and put up an exhibition booth to educate the public on recycling. During the expo, they had also put up a musical show using percussion instruments made from recycled items. The SMART Rangers were invited to organise a recycling exhibition during TV3’s Karnival Sure Heboh in Bukit Jalil that year. The following year, they participated in the Local Agenda 21 Exhibition in conjunction with MPPJ becoming Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). The SMART Rangers achieved another milestone in 2006 when they were selected as the Centre for Computer Collection by MBPJ. Additionally, the students participated in numerous activities held in conjunction with events such as Clean Up the World and World Water Monitoring Day.

Once disparaged and scoffed at for their efforts, SMART Rangers were now basking in the media spotlight of success. They had been repeatedly featured in The Star as well as other publications, such as Berita Harian, Harian Metro and Dewan Pelajar. Thanks to their efforts, SK Sri Kelana made a steady income of about RM300 a month from recycled goods. The money earned was channelled back to the school, and has paid for the construction of a reading hut, repainting of the school, educational field trips, a mural painting activity, and

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About SMART RangersSMART (Start Managing All Resources Today) Ranger is an environment education programme for school communities to learn about the environment with a focus on natural and non-natural resource management in Malaysia. The SMART Ranger programme is seen as a platform for Malaysians to learn about solid waste management. It aims to encourage recycling at home and in communities, as well as to promote a zero-waste lifestyle.

How It All BeganThe concept of SMART Rangers came about during the three-year Kelana Jaya Lakes Rehabilitation Programme, in which three working groups on pollution reduction, rehabilitation and education came together to work with the community in achieving a better environment. This soon led to a School Environment Education Programme, in which one of the main activities was an Environment Education Camp, where students could learn more about the environment and its management. There was also a clear focus on solid waste management in Malaysia, which was seen as a major environmental issue.

From there, GEC saw the potential of proper education for school children on solid waste management, and decided to develop and initiate the SMART Rangers programme with an objective to train students and teachers to be ‘recycling experts’. Support for this project came from the UNDP-GEF Small Grant and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) in 2004.

Why SMART Rangers There is a lack of information, knowledge and education for the general public to take action on solid waste management issues. The local government annually spends about 40-70% of taxpayer’s money for solid waste management, and is facing considerable problems with the rising amount of waste that the nation is producing. An average Malaysian produces up to 2 kg of waste per day, with only around 5% of all waste being recycled. Our landfills are already reaching their maximum capacity, and other options, such as incineration, are being considered.

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From top: SMART Rangers at the Recycling Expo; Launching of the first SMART Rangers in Malaysia; SK Sri Kelana SMART Rangers at their recycling cabin

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Proper education on the issues and how to manage solid waste properly for our younger generation can help to build a greener nation – one that is conscious of solid waste issues, and how to manage their waste responsibly.

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Objectives

• Create and enhance public awareness on managing their resources;

• A way for them to contribute to environ- mentalwell-being;

• To teach them the importance of reducing their waste, and to recycle;

• To initiate a systematic and scheduled recycling programme;

• To help generate revenue for classroom activities; and

• Toset-uparecyclingcollectioncentre,where possible.

Photo Credits: GEC

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About the Global Environment CentreThe Global Environment Centre (GEC) was established in 1998 to work on environmental issues of global importance. The Centre is registered in Malaysia as a non-profit organisation. It supports information exchange and capacity building as well as undertaking strategic projects, particularly in developing countries. It works in partnership with other like-minded agencies worldwide.

MissionTo support the protection of the environment and sustainable use of natural resources to meet local, regional and global needs through strategic partnerships with communities and like-minded organisations.

Objectives

• Topromoteintegratedmanagementofbiodiversityandwaterresources with a focus on community involvement and biodiversity conservation;

• Topromotetheprotectionandsustainableuseofforestsandwetlands with a focus on integrated management for biodiversity and climate change; and

• To enhance awareness, understanding and capacity as well as partnerships between different organisations and sectors to address environment issues.

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About the Kelana Jaya lakes Rehabilitation programme The Kelana Jaya Lakes Rehabilitation Programme begun officially in 2002, and was funded by UNDP-GEF. The project was led by GEC to assist local authorities in the rehabilitation of the lakes, and to promote collaboration with local communities (Local Agenda 21) living around the park and in the catchment areas.

The aims of this project were to reduce the level of pollution flowing into the lakes, and to increase community awareness. Some activities were conducted and accomplished by stakeholders.

The biggest accomplishment of this project was the establishment of Friends of Kelana Jaya Park (FoKJP) in 2005 to develop plans and strategies for rehabilitation of the lakes.

FoKJP worked alongside MBPJ and GEC to increase community awareness on the importance of rehabilitating the biodiversity of the lakes, to show the link between household activities and pollution of the lakes; and to mobilise them to minimise and eventually stop the pollution from entering the lake system. In addition, the community was informed of the importance of re-establishing a more natural ecosystem which could provide a better habitat for wildlife.

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stress’ is the growth of water withdrawals as a result of an increase in domestic water use. It is ironic how the Earth, three-quarters of it covered by water, faces a water crisis.

Hence, there is a fervent need to educate the human population to appreciate the existence of water, and manage it well to ensure its continuous existence, as we are well aware that people’s existence is heavily dependent on water. Integrated management of water resources remains a key issue for the sustainability of society in many parts of the world.

The following case study on the initiative of Water Watch Penang shows how ordinary citizens can work together with local authorities and the private sector to create awareness on the negative impacts of development in the state, and how it has handled its water resources for the betterment of society.

By declaring the years 2005 – 2015 as the Water for Life Decade, the United Nations hopes to increase the chances of achieving certain water-related goals, including stopping unsustainable exploitation of water resources.

Over the past few decades, water consumption has increased dramatically, and in many places, water availability is reaching critical levels.

Our planet is home to about 6.73 billion human inhabitants, and this figure increases by the second. It is estimated that over one billion people lack safe water, and whatever available resources are constantly being threatened.

As the world population increases year after year, the demands of society, and industrial and agricultural needs place a stress on available water resources. One of the main reasons for the increase of ‘water

Water is finite and we have not done a great job of managing it in the past. – Sandra Postel

Managing limited Water Resources

Integrated management of water resources remains a key issue for the sustainability of society.2

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At the initial gathering, the group of Penangites were of the opinion that water

resources was a serious issue in the state that warrants attention. Water Watch Penang (WWP) could be considered a

success story in which the concerned public in Penang got together in November 1997 to discuss the negative impact of development in the state, particularly on its water resources. At the initial gathering, the group of Penangites were of the opinion that water resources were a serious issue in the state that warrants attention. The group decided to form WWP and a Pro-tem Committee, headed by Prof. Dr. Chan Ngai Weng, was formed.

WWP has since grown from strength to strength, and it has forged a smart partnership with the state government and a private water company, PBAPP Sdn Bhd. This success story describes a smart partnership approach via public-private partnership (PPP) in Penang. This model builds towards sustainable water resources management and the building of a water-conscious society via water awareness, conservation and education programmes in the state.

The formation of WWP was due as much to necessity as it was to public commitment. Penang is a relatively small state with limited catchments as most of the state is developed. It is considered a “water-poor” state that is subject to many water problems. Due to this, Penang simply cannot manage its water resources in the same way as water-rich states such as Pahang or Perak. The Penang government has in the past, employed a largely top-down approach with little input from the consumers/public but because of limited water resources, it has to educate consumers to reduce water demands.

Housewife volunteer in action

SMART pARTNERSHIp AT WORKDr. Chan Ngai Weng

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This smart partnership has flourished and many water-saving campaigns involving the public, water consumers and school children have been held with great success.

This success story also illustrates how numerous problems (high water usage and wastage, high non-revenue water, apathetic attitude of consumers, low water tariffs, etc.) have arisen because of the top-down approach that focuses solely on water supply management (WSM).

The story of WWP demonstrates how to involve consumers/public via activities such as river walks, river clean-ups, education camps, stakeholder forums (e.g. on tariff), water conservation and recycling, and WDM. The results are greater awareness, cooperation and commitment among all stakeholders towards the

PBAPP was the first to realise the importance of smart partnerships. WWP was quick to approach the Penang state government and PBAPP to engage them in a sustained PPNP working relationship towards sustainable water resources management, most notably via Water Demand Management (WDM), one of WWP’s major strengths. Since 1999, this smart partnership has flourished and many water saving campaigns involving the public, water consumers and school children have been held with great success.

PBAPP had developed a kind of corporate social responsibility (CSR) model in which it supports many social and environmental initiatives, like the annual water conservation programme, with WWP being one of them.

Branching out from its partnership with PBAPP, WWP also works with private companies and organisations such as Ford Foundation, Alliance for a Responsible, Plural and United World, WWF Malaysia, Global Environment Centre (GEC), Malaysian Environmental NGOs network (MENGO), Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Penang Branch, Penang Botanic Gardens, Federation of Malaysian Consumers’ Associations (FOMCA), Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP). It is still expanding its network.

The WWP story epitomises a successful smart partnership approach between government, industry, NGOs and the public, highlighting the need for a CSR approach for all. It also hinges on using IWRM principles, as WWP has managed to create greater awareness and education in terms of water conservation, sensitised the public towards water use, and proved that government, industry and NGOs can indeed work closely together for a common cause.

Biological Assessment of River Water Quality - School Programme

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The following important lessons were learnt from this success story:

• Traditionaltop-downapproachviaWSMisineffectiveas it tackles only one side of the problem. All water consumers need to be involved to use water wisely and to help by reducing their demands;

• Smart partnerships in Sg. Pinang betweengovernment, industry, NGOs and the public are workable, effective and provide win-win situations for all stakeholders;

• WWPhasbuiltupthepublic’scapacityasNGOsandpublic now actively participate and get involved with all aspects of water management in the basin; and

• WWP has demonstrated that water resourcesmanagement combining WSM and WDM is the only way forward to ensure sustainable water resources in the long term as resources dwindle with regard to increasing population and industrial expansion.

The main tools employed in this success story were:

• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) of watercompanies to ensure sustainability;

• Participatory capacity and empowerment in civilsociety;

• Demandmanagement–usingwatermoreefficiently;

• Civil society institutions and community-basedorganisations; and

• Social change instruments – encouraging a water-oriented society. p

Dr. Chan Ngai Weng is affectionately called Malaysia’s “Waterman”. He has a close attachment to water – he learnt to swim in mining ponds and rivers, and used that water in his home – and has grown to respect the precious resource.

building of a water-conscious society, and greater effectiveness in the management of Penang’s limited water resources.

Smart partnerships in Sg. Pinang between government, industry, NGOs and the public are workable, effective and provide win-win

situations for all stakeholders.

Clockwise, from top: State-level commemoration of World Water Day 2008 at the Penang Botanic Gardens; participants at the World

Water Day 2008; participants at the national-level Labour Day celebration parade at Stadium Putra, Kuala Lumpur

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About Water Watch penangWater Watch Penang (WWP) (www.waterwatchpenang.org) is the first truly “water NGO” in Malaysia as it is only concerned with water and issues related to water. WWP is a non-profit organisation set up in November 1997 as part of the Sustainable Penang Initiative under the auspices of the Socio-economic and Environmental Research Institute (SERI) of Penang (www.seri.com.my). WWP was registered with the Registrar of Societies in 1998. It started off with about 20 members in 1997 but grew to about 50 members in 2006.

Core ObjectiveTo promote study, awareness, knowledge, conservation, protection and the practice of a water-saving society towards the sustainable development of water resources in accordance with the aspirations of Agenda 21 of the United Nations, and Malaysia’s environmental commitment.

In pursuance of this aim, WWP shall:

• publishanddistributearticles,pamphlets,journals,periodicalsandbooks;

• organise and conduct field trips, educational camps, seminars, forums,conferences, lectures and talks;

• organiseandconductresearchworks;

• liaisewithothersocietiesdedicatedtosimilaraimsandobjectives;and

• undertake suchother activities asmaybedeterminedby theExecutiveCommittee of WWP from time to time, consistent with the above stated aims.

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Background Photo: River walk

From top: WWP-NPARK Water Saving Workshop, Nov. 18, 2006; WWP-Ford smart partnership; groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 4

of the Muda River Water Scheme

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Other objectives include:

• Working closelywith the government, private sector,NGOsandotherorganisations in the water arena;

• Creating awareness and water-saving practices amongst the public,industry and government agencies;

• CarryingoutEIAassessmentandsittingonEIApanels;and

• Acting as watchdog for water pricing, monitoring and pollution, non-revenue water, destruction of catchments, and other issues relating to water.

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Participants at the World Water Day 2008

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the Tasik Chini dam, built in 1994 to benefit tourism, with dire consequences for the surrounding ecosystem. They complain that fish harvests have been on the decline since the dam was built, and that stagnant lake water not conducive for fish to spawn, contributing to the slow yet steady decline of the lake’s aquatic population. For generations, the Orang Jakun have lived off the land surrounding Tasik Chini, gathering jungle produce, tapping rubber, and toiling the land. Tasik Chini’s decline is a major source of worry for the communities that depend on it to survive. The lake’s yield of fish is not only decreasing, thus threatening the Orang Jakun’s livelihood, but the increasing level of E. coli in the water causes rashes and diarrhoea. For them, exploitation and capitalist behaviours have caused their natural resource base to dwindle, and forced them to change their traditional ways of living off the land.

In the following article, Baharin Sunta recounts the Orang Asli’s uphill task to preserve their heritage. Baharin is the local indigenous community leader and president of the newly-formed Persatuan Pelindung Tasik Chini.

Tasik Chini is a popular tourist site in Pahang mainly famed for its lotus and the legendary Dragon of Chini. One of only two natural lakes in Malaysia, and the second largest, Tasik Chini is located by the Pahang River in the south-east of Pahang. The lake is a series of 12 open-water bodies, and covers an area of 202 hectares of open-water and 700 hectares of freshwater swamp. It is blessed with some 138 species of flora and 300 species of non-aquatic vertebrates found in its immediate vicinity.

Tasik Chini is surrounded by an air of mystery. According to the Orang Asli legend, the lake was once the site of an ancient Khmer city, now lost to the waters, but guarded by the spirit Sri Gumum, which may appear as a snake-like dragon. Orang Asli, the Malay term for ‘original people’, are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. The primary tribe that inhabits the Tasik Chini area is the Orang Jakun.

The Orang Jakun believe that the lake is slowly dying. They blame it on the palm oil plantations that encroach into the area, illegal logging, introduction of non-indigenous plants, such as the ekor kucing , and

We need to recognise and actively support the role that communities have in protecting and preserving our heritage for the present and future generations. – Anonymous

preserving Our Heritage3 Tasik Chini’s decline is a major

source of worry for the communities that depend on it to survive.

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Each generation is taught that customs and traditions must be preserved. However, times

are changing and we find it difficult to continue our traditions and our lives.

Each generation is taught that customs and traditions must be preserved, and is encouraged to continue these traditions. However, times are changing and we find it difficult to continue our traditions and our lives.

Tasik Chini is renowned for its lotus, and the serenity and calmness of the lake attract thousands of tourists. The lake serenely greets us every morning with the sound of singing birds, sight of lovely lotus flowers and invigorating energy. This is our treasure, our home.

Tasik Chini is a natural freshwater lake with rich biodiversity. It is said that there are over a hundred species of fish and over 200 species of birds. We used to be able to live with the resources we have from the waters and forest. Our home was rich with food and medicine. Our surroundings were a source of our stories and our lives.

However, the entire lake is now threatened, together with our customs and traditions. Dr. Musrifah Idris, head of the research expedition of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) said that, “Tasik Chini is dying, and if nothing is done now, the whole ecosystem of the lake will cease to exist in two years” (The Star, July 26, 2004).

For outsiders, it is another consequence of development, but for us, we will lose our home, identity, history and spirit. With this alarming state of affairs, SUSDEN Malaysia launched the Save Tasik

Baharin (right) with the late Bishan Singh

“GUARDIANS” OF TASIK CHINI

Sunitha Bisan Gunasegaranas told to

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Tasik Chini is dying and if nothing is done, the whole ecosystem of the lake will cease to exist.

the various villages as we understood the need for unity to address our concerns. Bishan and SUSDEN also showed us how to form this organisation as we had no experience in these matters. We took each step together. The dream was fulfilled when we registered with the Registrar of Societies.

Although I was filled with apprehension and fearful of the obstacles and difficulties that might arise from my new responsibility, Bishan and SUSDEN helped me realise that it is important to work from the heart. My interaction with Bishan and his team from SUSDEN was an enriching experience as it reinforced concern for nature – which our community holds dear – to love and protect our environment, our home.

Chini Campaign (STCC) on August 1, 2004. STCC has an annual community consultation with the informal network of Friends of Tasik Chini to monitor its progress and plan for future actions towards conserving the lake. SUSDEN has also commemorated the initiative with Tasik Chini Day on August 1.

In 2007, our community decided to remember the initiative and efforts of the late Bishan Singh, the mover of this campaign, by adopting Tasik Chini Day as our day of celebration. Our community does not have a festival day like other races, and Tasik Chini Day is our day to celebrate our connection with the lake and our culture.

SUSDEN also assisted us with training on how to manage our organisation. STCC aims to demonstrate how local communities can empower themselves and engage in ensuring conservation of their habitat and ecological spaces. In order for us to do this, we need skills.

We realise that we can no longer think and act in the traditional manner. Bishan always reminded us that the lake was in crisis, and that we need to be part of the solution. We need to think about how we can conserve and act so that the lake could be saved and our traditions could continue with Tasik Chini.

I was uncertain when I first met Bishan. I did not know him well, and was suspicious as to why he wanted to work with us, the indigenous people in Chini.

The first consultation was held in Chini, and after listening to him about his work and that of SUSDEN, and the future plans for conserving Chini, I felt assured.

His proposal to form an organisation for the indigenous people was well received by all of us from

Tasik Chini is a natural freshwater lake with rich biodiversity.

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We need to understand that Tasik Chini has a unique ecosystem besides being a tourist destination and an environmental heritage site. This is nature’s gift to us. Therefore, it is our duty to preserve it. If you are asking what it takes to ensure its health, it requires our participation.

First, tourists will need to act responsibly when they visit the lake: do not pollute or take plants from the lake; leave only footprints. Government planners should ensure that projects undertaken have minimal impact on the lake ecology. Businesses can support the conservation efforts by educating the young, supporting SUSDEN and its partners in developing a conservation plan, supporting the community to take stock of the existing resources, and many other efforts needed to rehabilitate Tasik Chini.

SUSDEN has explained that a good environmental policy is like a good economic and development policy.If we desire sustainable development, it would be greatly dependent on the health of the environment. If not we will have a deficit, both in ecological and economic terms. This is clearly seen as more money needs to be spent to reduce the negative impacts by creating alternatives, and also the cost of cleaning up the damage done to the lake ecology.

SUSDEN’s initiative has opened our eyes, and we hope they will continue to assist us whenever needed. The indigenous community, with greater confidence, has learnt to work with other groups, such as government agencies and NGOs. p

Sunitha Bisan Gunasegaran is the founder of Penitajaya, a social enterprise; and the president of SUSDEN.

Our future greatly depends on this lake, the environment and the Earth. The indigenous community gets income from many sources, such as agriculture, tourism and local crafts. Thus, like the lotus found in our lake, the STCC rises from a muddy situation and aspires to conserve and protect the lake. This is a noble and sincere cause which needs to be continued – and it is making changes. With this campaign, we are continually reminded of the immaculate beauty of Chini undefiled by current polluting conditions. The lotus reflects the soul of Chini in perfect harmony. It is a constant reminder that humans should lead a life of integrity and purity of heart.

These reflections remind me of the wisdom of Bishan and his actions. My participation in this effort has allowed me to understand the difference between development built on what others say – and one from our own needs, ways and experiences.

Much work still needs to be done. As Bishan said, “The lake is God’s gift to us and what we do is our gift to God”. The task to protect and conserve the lake does not only rest on our shoulders, although we are the stewards of this lake, but is a responsibility of all who come to the lake. Embrace the lake with purity and integrity as it is a vision of perfection linking all our diverse cultures in this nation.

The task to protect and conserve the lake does not only rest on our shoulders although

we are the stewards of this lake, but is a responsibility of all who come to the lake.

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About persatuan pelindung Tasik ChiniPPTC is the newly-formed community-based organisation which aims to unite the local Chini population to protect and conserve the Tasik Chini area, and the traditions and cultures of the Jakun tribe in Chini.

About Sustainable Development Network Malaysia (SUSDEN)

Objectives • ProtectandconserveMalaysiaaspartofthatlife-sustainingorganism

• Ensureoursurvivalinasustainablewaywithoutsacrificingthefuture

• Participate actively in the post-process of the UN Conference onEnvironmentandDevelopment,andintheimplementationofAgenda 21.

Core Activities

• Actasathink-tankonsustainabledevelopmentissues

• Becomefocalpointforpeople’sinvolvementandparticipation

• Undertakecampaignstocreateawarenessandeducatethecommunity

• Monitordevelopmentactivities,andprovidecritiqueandfeedback

• Actasthecommunityresourceandinformationcentre.

Area of Interest Sustainable development Tasik Chini’s decline is a major source of worry for

the communities that depend on it for survival.

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Malaysia has the second largest tiger population, after India. However, as the habitats of man and animal become increasingly closer, wild animal attacks on humans have increased significantly, with 16 deaths and 13 injuries between 1998 and July 2002. While there are probably less than 500 tigers in Peninsular Malaysia forests, they account for over half the attacks by wild animals on humans.

The tiger is one of the world’s most magnificent animals, and is known as an ‘indicator species’ of a healthy ecosystem – the presence of tigers in a natural habitat indicates the health of the ecosystem. Nine sub-species of tigers, numbering more than 100,000, roamed the Earth at the turn of the last century. However, in the last 50-60 years, three species of tiger – Balinese, Caspian and Javan – have become extinct mainly due to poaching and loss of habitat. If serious efforts are not made to safeguard the Malayan tiger, it may soon be a thing of the past.

Pak Amzah shares his mixed emotions about the magnificent tiger in the following article.

Malaysia has a land area of about 33 million hectares, of which almost 60% is covered with verdant, natural forests. The forests are home to some of the world’s rarest and most remarkable animals, including the Malayan tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, orang utan, and elephant.

For thousands of years, the forest has been home to many nomadic tribes, and there are still pockets of civilisation which depend entirely on the forest for survival.

However, each year, Malaysia loses a significant amount of forest build-up. According to the National Physical Plan Malaysia (2005), Peninsular Malaysia has lost more than half of its original forests to agriculture and urban development. In order to safeguard its heritage, Malaysia has made many legal provisions. The maximum fine for forest encroachment and illegal logging under the Forestry Act is RM500,000, while almost 1½ million hectares of forest area have been gazetted as conservation areas, and are protected by law.

We’re ensuring that the world our children inherit will be home to elephants, tigers, giant pandas, whales and other wildlife species, as well as people. – WWF

Conservation of Species4 The presence of tigers in a

natural habitat indicates the health of the ecosystem.

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scheme in Jerangau Barat, a rural area in Terengganu, in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. FELDA schemes, combining land development and settlement in the rural areas, were introduced by the Malaysian government in 1965 to bring economic and social development to rural communities.

The settlement where Pak Amzah and his family reside was developed in 1973 as part of the FELDA scheme to develop logged-over forests in inland Terengganu. Pak Amzah, along with 362 other settlers, was given a piece of land on which he planted oil palm trees, as did most settlers. He began rearing cattle three years after settling there to supplement his income.

As part of the policy of the federal government on integrated oil palm management, Pak Amzah explained that rearing livestock (poultry, sheep, goats, cattle or buffalo) was encouraged among settlers. As such, most of the villagers resorted to keeping cattle, but these were usually sold only when additional income was required.

Busy as a beaver, Pak Amzah’s daily routine involved feeding and minding his cattle in the wee hours of the morning followed by harvesting oil palm fruit in this plantation. Lunch and prayers in the afternoon would take about an hour, then back to minding his cattle. This could stretch until night if some of his cattle went missing; a search party would then be sent to look for the missing one.

Back then, tiger predation was not always the cause of missing cattle.

“There has always been a problem with the tigers in the surrounding forest,” Pak Amzah recalled. “But it wasn’t a big issue. Tigers need to eat too, and sometimes

A cup of coffee in hand, Pak Amzah relaxes on the veranda of his shack as part of his daily routine. “Life is good,” he said with a smile. “My cattle business is doing well, I can’t complain.”

At 43, Amzah bin Abdul Ghani, fondly known as Pak Amzah, dreams of becoming one of Malaysia’s biggest meat suppliers. Eight years ago, his ambition would not have been realistic.

Since 1985, Pak Amzah and his family have been living at a Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA)

Dr. Sharma and senior field biologist Ahmad Zafir looking at tiger pugmarks

lIvING IN HARMONy WITH NATURESyazreen Sara Sukor

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Tigers need to eat too, and sometimes it is just bad luck that they got to my cattle before I did.

“Both times, the tiger was feeding on my cattle. I always thought I’d be scared if I saw one, but I wasn’t.

it is just bad luck that they got to my cattle before I did.”

A hardworking man, Pak Amzah diligently went on with his daily routine, impervious to tiger antics, and oblivious to the challenges that would face him and his community a few years later.

Within a period of six months from 1997 to 1998, as many as 53 heads of cattle were killed by tigers in FELDA Jerangau Barat.

Pak Amzah could not understand the sudden escalation of the tiger attacks. “We’ve always used the same method of lepas dan halau (release and chase away).”

Everyone rearing cattle in the village was having the same problem. Even those with paddocks for their cattle were not spared.

“Each animal costs about RM800 to RM1500 and it was like seeing money being thrown away,” Pak Amzah admitted, counting as many as 32 of his cattle killed due to tiger predation in a span of three years.

During this rough period, there were unconfirmed reports of angry villagers taking matters into their own hands: some of them poisoning the carcass of their cattle to kill tigers when they return for their feast; and some shooting the tigers like pests. One settler even recalls as many as ten tigers being shot by villagers.

Fortunately, none of the villagers were ever attacked by tigers, many of whom have seen tiger footprints or heard its roar. There are also those who have seen these majestic yet terrifying creatures face-to-face. One of them is Pak Amzah, who has seen – twice – a tiger up-close, while searching for his missing cattle.

Female tiger caught on camera-trap

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I wish tigers would just stay in the forest.The real challenge lies in how to avoid

conflict with them.

motorcycle engine and made loud noises to scare it away.”

Pak Amzah never thinks of tigers as pests. “They actually help in controlling the wild boar population. If there are too many pigs in the plantation, they would eat the oil palm fruits. But I wish tigers would just stay in the forest,” he remarked. “The real challenge lies in how to avoid conflict with them.”

When WWF-Malaysia, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN) and other partner agencies came into the picture in 1998, there was hope.

It came in the form of WWF-Malaysia’s pioneer tiger conservation initiative, headed by (then Species Unit Head) Dr. Dionysius Sharma, WWF-Malaysia’s Executive Director/CEO.

A research design on how to reduce the conflict faced by the villagers was developed by this initiative. There was a critical need to study tiger ecology and existing cattle management practices as well as educate and raise community awareness on human-tiger conflict and its associated issues.

To assess the number of tigers within the vicinity and learn more about their movements, a camera-trapping activity was carried out. These cameras, mounted on trees along animal trails in the forest, used infra-red sensors that would automatically take photographs of any animal that passed by. This exercise produced a total of 101 photographs of twelve tigers in the surrounding forests of FELDA Jerangau Barat from February 2000 to October 2001.

“WWF-Malaysia and their partners carried out activities such as village dialogues and workshops, school

Probably because I was with two friends, and we were on a motorcycle,” Pak Amzah joked. “I was probably about ten metres away from the tiger. We revved the

Discussion with cattle farmers at FELDA Jerangau Barat

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It dropped from 50 - 80 cases a year to just 2! There are still tigers around, but they don’t disturb us. I would highly recommend this solution.

said, reflecting on the immediate success of the project.

He added, however, that the cost to maintain the paddock was quite high. Financial support was needed in order to maintain the existing paddocks, and possibly build new ones in the future.

“As an NGO, we understand that WWF doesn’t have a lot of money. But we are very grateful that they picked

visits, as well as distribution of information, education, and communication materials. At least one person from WWF-Malaysia stayed with us throughout the whole project, and this really helped in building our trust in them,” Pak Amzah shared.

WWF-Malaysia and its partners introduced to a set of participants a cattle management system that took into account tigers’ activity patterns. It contained a complete set of rules and regulations, including guidelines on building tiger-proof paddocks as well as ideal cattle grazing times and locations. A cattle-tagging and record-keeping system was also established to identify missing or misplaced cattle, and to foster a sense of greater responsibility among the villagers.

Pak Amzah was elected coordinator to oversee the participants and their progress in implementing the new practices.

Thirty-nine cattle owners, making up six groups, then signed a memorandum of understanding with the FELDA Jerangau Barat management on Sept. 16, 2003. All these were done in collaboration with partners, such as PERHILITAN, Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia, Department of Veterinary Services, Universiti Putra Malaysia and through discussions with the FELDA management and settlers. Since the implementation of the new system in November 2002, there have only been two tiger attacks on cattle among the participating villagers. Other villagers who did not join the initiative continued having tiger predation on their cattle.

“It dropped from 50 - 80 cases a year to just 2! There are still tigers around, but they don’t disturb us. I would highly recommend this solution to other areas experiencing the problems that we had,” Pak Amzah

All in a day’s work. Pak Amzah at his daily routine, getting cattle fodder readyW

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With high spirits, Pak Amzah has since welcomed new methods of cattle management, and has contentedly immersed himself into the cattle business. With four other partners, he has about 140 cattle using the feedlot/integration method for his business.

Indeed, the future looks bright for this proud father of three. Pak Amzah is letting his children decide their own future. His face brightened at the mention of them.

“My eldest daughter, 23, is studying in Universiti Putra Malaysia, and the youngest is only 10 years old. They can carry on with what I’m doing if they want; after all, they already have the skills. But I won’t push them to do so.”

His hope for his community runs high too. “I know the system works in reducing conflict between humans and tigers, and I hope they will continue to implement the system. We will welcome any agency that wants to help us improve our methods.”

According to Pak Amzah, greed is one of the main things that has turned the world upside-down. “If humans can control their greed, there is no reason why humans and tigers, or any other wildlife, can’t live in harmony with each other.”

“If it weren’t for WWF’s help, I couldn’t even dream of being one of the biggest meat suppliers in Malaysia. I would only be supplying meat to the tigers,” laughed Pak Amzah heartily. p

Syazreen Sara Sukor is a Senior Communications Officer for Species (Tiger and Rhino) in WWF-Malaysia’s Peninsular Malaysia Forest Programme.

this area to carry out the project and that they bore the costs of the paddock building materials. The project has definitely helped us improve our livelihood.”

And all this time, Pak Amzah never blamed the tigers. “Tigers should be free in their forest, just as we are in this world. But let there be some sort of a barrier between the forest and human settlements.”

I know the system works in reducing conflict between humans and tigers,

and I hope they will continue to implement the system.

One of the tiger-proof paddocks built by WWF-Malaysia in FELDA Jerangau Barat. It is surrounded by an oil palm plantation.

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About WWF–Malaysia www.wwf.org.my

ObjectivesWWF-Malaysia (World Wide Fund for Nature-Malaysia), the national conservation trust, currently runs more than 75 projects covering a diverse range of environmental protection work. Since 1972, WWF-Malaysia has worked on important conservation projects, from saving endangered species such as tigers and turtles, to protecting our highland forests, rivers and seas. We also undertake environmental education and advocacy work to achieve conservation goals. By conserving our natural resources, WWF-Malaysia is helping to protect our livelihoods, food and water supply, thus securing our good quality of life and our children’s bright future.

Core Activities

WWF-Malaysia’s early work focused on scientific research of wildlife and important natural habitats. This later expanded to the management of protected areas. Today, our work covers the broader issues of the natural environment, incorporating such aspects as policy work, environmental education, public awareness and campaigns. Issues we work on:

• Species• Forests• Freshwater• Marine• Environmentaleducation• Policy.

From top: Signboard at one of the paddocks; memorandum of understanding signing ceremony between project participants in FELDA Jerangau Barat represented by Pak Amzah (second from

right), Wildlife Department and WWF-Malaysia; male tiger caught on camera-trap

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This Act also prohibits the discharge of waste into Malaysian waters, punishable with a maximum fine of RM500,000. It is obvious that this fine is not sufficient or significant enough to deter would-be offenders, as shown by the statistics.

Policies need to be formulated to overcome the challenges of marine ecosystem pollution. Some suggestions from various sectors include clear legislation which supports international and regional agreements at both national and local levels, developing integrated pollution prevention and control measures, and promotion of environmentally-sound technologies and management techniques.

As in all sectors, education and awareness are vital for all parties involved in the preservation of marine life and the environment. The Penang Inshore Fisherman Welfare Association (PIFWA), Malaysian Inshore Fisherman Action Network (JARING) and Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) show us how to begin.

Malaysia’s coastal zone has experienced severe deterioration because of pollution. Many once-idyllic islands were heavily advertised and promoted before laws were in place to protect marine life and coasts, and their strategic location along the world’s major shipping routes expose them to other forms of pollution, such as dirty oil discharged by ships. Not only does oil discharge pollute the water, it also threatens marine life.

Most sea-based pollution comes from oil or ballast water discharged from ships, either intentionally or accidentally due to collision or grounding. According to data provided by the Department of Environment, 108 out of the 144 cases of oil spills at sea between 2000 to 2005 were due to illegal discharge, and of these cases, only 32 ships were charged and 14 found guilty. Under Malaysian law, discharge of oil into Malaysian waters is illegal, as provided for in the Environmental Quality Act 1974. Offenders are liable to be punished with a maximum fine of RM500,000 or a maximum imprisonment of five years, or both.

Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good action; try to use ordinary situations. – Jean Paul Richter

protecting Marine Ecosystems5

Education and awareness is a must for all parties involved in the preservation of marine life and the environment.

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of marine ecosystems are dramatically impacting our coastal economy and quality of life. A wide variety of human activities can affect the coastal and marine environment. Population pressure, increasing demands for spaces and resources, and poor economic performances can all undermine the sustainable use of marine and coastal areas.

The most serious problems affecting the quality and use of these ecosystems are the alteration and destruction of habitats and ecosystems, declining living resources, such as fish stocks, hydrological changes; and impact of climate change on the coast and sea, which include sea-level rise and others.

Quantitatively, the exact destruction of coastal and marine ecosystems is unknown since Malaysia has not been able to produce acceptable and indisputable data. However, qualitatively, people can just see the obvious destruction in the marine ecosystem using some simple indicators such as the critical declining number of turtles landing, and finding of dugong in Malaysian waters.

The impact does not end with the destruction of marine life; it also brings a negative impact to people who depend on marine life for their livelihood, especially the fishermen. Fishermen’s income has continued to decline due to the effect of marine destruction. The inshore fisher folk community of Malaysia suffers the most with the falling number of catch throughout the year. The intensification of the use of modern and destructive fisheries technology to address the economic setback has not actually addressed the issues but created an unsustainable production trend that is bringing the marine environment to a critical point of “no return”.

Our marine environment has suffered from mismanagement over the past several decades. The loss in number and species of marine life, and the health

Population pressure, increasing demands for spaces and resources, and poor economic

performances can all undermine the sustainable use of our marine and coastal areas.

DISAppEARING JEWElSNorsalila Aris

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Penang fishermen reported that areas with reducing mangroves have registered a gradual decline in fish catch.

important breeding and nursing grounds for many commercially valuable fish species. Despite their importance, however, mangrove forests are experiencing increasing pressure from development projects, timber industries, and especially aquaculture activities. Penang

To solve the problems, the inshore fishermen have organised themselves to protect the coastal and marine ecosystems from further destruction. PIFWA officially established in 1994 with the assistance and guidance of the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP), led this initiative. SAM has also contributed to PIFWA’s development, and continues to be a close associate whenever needed. SAM has conducted awareness programmes for the fisher folk community since the early 1980s, and has assisted them in their plight. Over the years, SAM has given not only moral support but also technical support towards the initiatives of the inshore fisher folk.

penang Inshore Fisherman Welfare AssociationThe efforts of PIFWA in managing their difficulties and protecting the environment at the same time should be applauded. PIFWA replanted mangroves to replace those which had been degraded, and in locations which had been cleared for various projects that were subsequently abandoned. The members replanted mangroves because they recognised its importance as spawning grounds for fish, crabs and prawns. It is also common knowledge that, in the absence of mangroves, their boats at jetties would have little protection against strong winds and waves.

Mangroves are vital for coastal protection and the marine ecosystem. Furthermore, mangroves help water purification, absorb carbon dioxide, and provide

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Initially, their activity of replanting mangroves was said to be a waste of

time and energy, and they were even called lunatics.

Initially, their activity of replanting mangroves was said to be a waste of time and energy, and they were even called lunatics. However, PIFWA, which had a 95% success rate through the planting of more than 120,000 mangrove saplings in coastal stretches of Penang, was subsequently labelled as a saviour. With the help of SAM, PIFWA established links with other fishermen networks in Peninsular Malaysia. PIFWA has been very successful at the local level and has recently been able to link its ‘on the ground’ work with policy changes.

PIFWA has undertaken two major programmes in sea and river monitoring (pollution and encroachment) and coastal rehabilitation. Since its initiation in 1994, PIFWA has shown significant progress in organising themselves and addressing and assisting fisher folk problems as well as developing a wider network of fisher folk communities in Peninsular Malaysia.

Other than mangrove replanting projects, PIFWA has also conducted research on the best and appropriate replanting techniques, and shares their knowledge with regional fisher folk communities.

Network of Inshore Fisher Folk MovementsBuilding on the successful model of ‘big brother’ PIFWA, inshore fishermen from many parts of Peninsular Malaysia assembled in Langkawi and were motivated to initiate an independent inshore fisherman national network.

The Malaysian Inshore Fisherman Action Network, known as JARING, was established following the

fishermen reported that areas with reducing mangroves, have registered a gradual decline in fish catch over the years.

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memorandum, and engaged in a policy dialogue which, hopefully, would abruptly change the tone and facade of the APMM for the better.

JARING has also created a pathway in community-based coastal resource management in replicating the successful mangrove rehabilitation project of its founding organisational member, PIFWA. JARING has five

Langkawi Resolution to halt the impending destruction of the marine and coastal ecosystem, and improve the livelihood of fisher folk communities.

JARING was established after a long haul of advocacy work by various fisherman action groups in all parts of Malaysia, crying for changes in the destruction, violation and marginalisation of their livelihood and the marine and coastal ecosystem which they greatly depend on.

JARING was an alternative to the long-standing government-organised fisher folk organisation called NEKMAT that, even with the entire subsidy scheme, financial support and various other privileges provided by the government, has been toothless in voicing out the plight of the fishing community.

With this network, and the long struggle of old, experienced fishermen, JARING had boldly smashed into the cold and harsh waves of the Straits of Malacca and South China Sea with much hope, braving the challenges and ending the plight of the Malaysian inshore fisherman.

JARING has achieved astonishing progress with a series of dialogues with government departments and agencies in voicing out their problems. In the pursuit of change, JARING confronted the newly-established Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM), and deliberated precisely the weaknesses and problems of previous maritime enforcement conducted by various government departments and agencies, which include the rampant problem of corruption. These problems had hampered confidence and hope in finding a solution. The issues of integrity and corruption had certainly created a path towards greater destruction and depletion of marine and coastal biodiversity, hence the devastation of the livelihood of fishermen. JARING produced a

Inshore fishermen were motivated to initiate an independent inshore fisherman national network.

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The issues of integrity and corruption had certainly created a path towards greater destruction and depletion of marine and

coastal biodiversity, hence the devastation of the livelihood of fishermen.

even from the government, which had not been that receptive before.

SAM, PIFWA and JARING have successfully initiated five mangroves centres in Kuala Kurau (Perak), Kerpan (Kedah), Sungai Merbok (Kedah), Langkawi (Kedah) and Sungai Chenaam (Penang). All the mangrove centres are progressing well and have received acknowledgements nationally and internationally.

JARING, as a new national network, with the assistance of SAM, continues to build its internal capacity to develop itself to become a competent voice fighting for the plight of inshore fishermen.

JARING has taken a massive step in bridging itself in the regional network of fisher folk movements and attended a number of regional meetings and gatherings of fisher folk movements and among others, being a member of ASIA, which supports NGOs in opposing the wide expansion of aquaculture activities.

JARING has succeeded in establishing itself as an independent voice of the inshore fisher folk communities, and continues to organise itself to protect the environment and fight for the betterment of their livelihood.

However, the steps taken by only these few communities are not sufficient. Our marine ecosystem can only survive if there is concern, cooperation, involvement and true commitment from various parties which include the society, government and many others. But sadly, this was lacking until the sudden catastrophe of the tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004. It was truly a wake- up call for everyone. The tsunami taught an invaluable lesson to everyone on the importance of maintaining the coastal and marine ecosystem.

community mangrove centres that are pursuing coastal rehabilitation works in three states in Peninsular Malaysia. The projects have slowly received acknowledgements

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SAM is a partner in the community’s struggle for environmental justice, and will continue to assist in empowering the voices of the grassroots community in pursuing sustainable development.

The struggles of PIFWA and JARING in protecting the coastal and marine ecosystem should not be theirs alone. We, as a society, also need to play our part and work together with them. The destruction of the coastal and marine ecosystem will not only cause a negative impact to fishermen, but will also affect our lives as well.

Following the tsunami disaster, a number of groups and organisations started to pay more attention to the protection of coastal ecosystems. Political leaders called for a halt to coastal and mangrove destruction. Then Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi ordered that mangrove forests be left untouched.

The important role of mangroves in natural disasters like the tsunami has since been highlighted and is an endorsement of the many years of struggle of PIFWA and JARING. The two organisations initiated a Remember Tsunami Day on December 26, which has become an annual event. Mangrove replanting activities are conducted on that day to commemorate the ignorance of humankind and the unsustainable practices that eventually lead to death and destruction.

Even though the organisational development of the inshore fisherman movement is progressing very well, they are also facing greater challenges among others, the gaps and conflicts in policies and law which include issues of mangroves protection and rehabilitation, coastal development and marine enforcement.

Destruction of the coastal ecosystem and mangrove forest by development of aquaculture projects in coastal areas, marine-related policy, law and enforcement, such as policy and practices on fishing, destructive fishing gear and trawling are among other problems that continue to be faced by the fisher folk communities.

However, this community has no intention of giving up easily. They will continue to engage in advocacy for policy changes, and also to contribute to marine and coastal rehabilitation, i.e. shallow water coral replanting, sea grass rehabilitation, and expanding the involvement of more fisher folks groups in many other areas in Malaysia.

Our marine ecosystem can only survive if there is concern, cooperation, involvement and true commitment from various parties, which include the society, government and many others.

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The important role of mangroves in natural disasters, like the tsunami, has

since been highlighted.

Just waiting for others to save the environment will not help. It’s time to wake up and march forward to save nature before it’s too late. p

Norsalila Aris is a marine research officer, policy researcher and deputy coordinator of Sahabat Alam Malaysia. She is the technical advisor for JARING and PIFWA, and a committee member of Asia Solidarity Against Industrial Aquaculture (AGAINST), and SEA Fish for Justice Network (SEA FISH).

The destruction of the coastal and marine ecosystem will not only cause a negative impact to fishermen, but will also affect our lives as well.

All the mangrove centres initiated are progressing well and have received acknowledgements nationally and internationally.

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About Sahabat Alam Malaysia

Objectives

• Toeducatethepublicontheneedforanecologically-soundenvironment

• Toassistcommunitieswhichhavebeenadverselyaffectedbyso-calleddevelopment

• To advocate for adevelopmentmodel that is ecologically sustainable,sociallyjustandfulfilsthehumanneedsofthemajority

Core Activities

• Environmentalandsocialissues

Areas of Interest

• Environmentalissues

• Socialissues

• Womenanddevelopment

• Humanrights

• Education

Issues and projects

Physical environment, logging, indigenous people, rural, energy, marine and fisheries, wetlands, dam, urban development, waste, toxic and hazardous materials, genetic engineering, squatters, consumerism, culture and environment, social problems, health.

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Types of Activities

• Creatingpublicawareness

• Researchanddocumentation

• Communityworkanddevelopment

• Legalaid

• Publication

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palm and cocoa. Potassium fertilizer, in particular, has shown the highest increase, which comes about as a result of continued expansion of oil palm cultivation. Potassium is one of the key nutrients required to manage soil salinity and is believed to improve crop quality.

The government has been advocating the use of organic fertilizers for several reasons, including improving management of natural resources and promoting sustainability, through programmes that encourage the recycling of agricultural waste and by-products. This agricultural waste includes rice straw and husks, empty oil palm fruit bunches, palm oil mill effluence, saw dust and animal droppings.

The culmination of these efforts was documented in the Third National Agricultural Policy 1998-2010, which was formulated with the overriding objective of maximising income through the optimal utilization of resources in the agricultural sector. The specific objectives are to enhance food security, increase productivity and competitiveness of the sector, improve links with other

Agriculture, forestry and fishing formed the traditional basis of the Malaysian economy in its early days, and contributed almost one-third of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, in recent decades, these three sectors’ contribution has reduced to less than one-fifth, while still engaging the largest percentage of the workforce. The agriculture sector has grown in leaps and bounds over the years, with the advent of modern technology and excellent natural conditions such as the humidity level, sufficient annual rainfall, tropical weather, and rich soil. It is acknowledged that the production rate of agricultural industries in Malaysia nowadays is one of the largest in the Asian region, with the key agricultural products being rubber, palm oil, rice, cocoa and pepper.

More than 90% of fertilizers used by the agricultural sector in Malaysia are of the mineral type – urea, ammonium sulphate, ammonium phosphate, calcium ammonium nitrate, phosphate rock, and super phosphates. Use of fertilizer in agricultural activities has increased due to the rise in demand for agricultural products, especially plantation crops such as rubber, oil

If we throw Mother Nature out the window, she comes back through the door with a pitchfork. – Masanobu Fukuoka

Road Back to Nature6

Unsustainable agricultural practices all over the world cater to huge problems for mankind and the environment.

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The purpose of natural farming is to provide consumers with non-chemical

yields which are much healthier than pesticide-aided yields.

in water quality and in fish and other animal populations.

Hence, not only does using natural fertilizers help create a more sustainable planet by managing agricultural waste better, but it also ensures that other impacts on the environment, such as water contamination, is kept to a minimum. Here, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) explains how it has taken the first step in making a stand on natural and sustainable farming.

Unsustainable agricultural practices all over the world cater to huge problems for mankind and the environment. The conventional system that uses chemicals, such as pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilisers harms the soil and the health of the consumers, farm workers and our environment.

The prevailing idea that crops always need fertilisers to grow, and pesticide to fight against pests is a myth. Agricultural practices should be sustainable; which means favourable to the environment, and most importantly, the food produced must be safe and healthy.

To solve this unsustainable problem, the traditional method that is slowly becoming popular is the practice of natural farming. Masanobu Fukuoka (famously known for his book One Straw Revolution) originally introduced this concept.

It is also known as Fukuoka Farming or Fukuoka Method; in India, it is often referred to as Rishi Kheti.

sectors, create new sources of growth, and to conserve and utilize natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Leachate from mineral fertilizers often result in eutrophication of aquatic environments, thus causing excessive plant growth and decay -- and even further impacts, including lack of oxygen and severe reduction

CAP exhibition on organic farming

NATURAl FARMINGNorsalila Aris

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When a particular land is used for natural farming, the soil and water surrounding the area becomes cleaner and the ecology is recovered.

Natural farming is an innovative method of farming that uses nature’s powers, rather than human intervention, for maximum performance.

According to Saraswathi Devi, education officer of CAP, natural farming is the safest way of farming because it is free from chemicals.

“The purpose of natural farming is to provide consumers with non-chemical yields which are much healthier,” said Saraswathi.

Agricultural Initiative

Based on the benefits, CAP has ventured to reawaken the appropriate and sustainable practices of agriculture.

To promote this traditional method, CAP educates the public, i.e. students and consumers, through education, awareness-raising programmes, campaigns, trainings and media outreach. To implement this method, CAP meets farmers to encourage and educate them on the sustainable practices of natural farming.

It includes techniques such as multicropping, bio-management, and development of healthy soil using earthworms, vermicompost, organic fertilizer, vermiwash, panchacavia, herbal pest repellents, composting, zero-waste farms and use of effective microbes.

CAP and SAM promote this method by encouraging farmers to change from their conventional techniques to natural farming. CAP has brought experts, such as Prof. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Ismail and Gopalakrishnan from Tamil Nadu, India, to teach local farmers about techniques of natural farming.

CAP’s herbal corner – plants and herbal growth promoters

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In Kulai, Seberang Jaya and Kulim, farmers are practising natural farming

method to grow their vegetables. They are using earthworms instead of other technological machines or

chemicals.

CAP believes that the combination of the Fukuoka Method and other traditional techniques with some enhancement through environmentally and socially-sound scientific advancement could be the best and the most efficient way of natural farming.

Techniques

It is undeniable that natural farming is a sustainable way of farming. The inputs are from natural resources, such as the sun, water, plant and soil materials. It also heals the soil which has been degraded by chemicals, herbicides and machines. When a plot of land is used for natural farming, the soil and water surrounding the area become cleaner and the ecology is recovered. It is even used to fight desertification.

In natural farming, weeds or wild grasses are used for mulching in order to prevent soil erosion, hold moisture, improve soil ventilation and suppress pests rather than kill them. Pesticides do not only kill insects – but also the farm biodiversity. They also seep into the soil and fruit. When absorbed, it can harm our bodies and even future generations. Instead of using toxic chemicals, pest repellents made from cow urine, herbs, concoctions of garlic, ginger and chilli paste are used to control pests. It is not surprising that an ecology that recovered the natural balance has shown a drop in the number of pests and disease occurrence.

Plant growth promoters such as panchacavia, farmers effective microogranism, egg-lime solution, fish amino, instant foliar not only helps in healthy growth of plants but also promotes soil fertility. Herbal pest repellents are processed to prevent attacks from pests. Saraswathi explaining the ring garden method

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Many have realised the advantages of natural farming. There is an increase of natural farming practices among farmers.

Both panchacavia and herbal pest repellents are adapted from the traditional farming method.

Natural farming uses earthworms and micro-organisms to improve soil health. The excretion of earthworms turns into the best soil.

Earthworms are capable of increasing the fertility of soil. They are used in making vermicompost and vermiwash. Microbes and organic fertilizers can also be applied in natural farming as ways to increase the fertility of the soil.

“In Kulai, Seberang Jaya, Ulu Yam and Kulim, several farmers are practising the natural farming method to grow their vegetables, flowers and rear livestock.” said Saraswathi.

Crops and livestock reared using natural farming methods are very healthy. They have shown strong resistance to diseases and climatic fluctuation. Antibiotics, hormones, colourants or other chemicals are not given to these animals. Just feeding what nature has given them to eat, such as grass, rice husk, rice bran, left-over food, sawdust and even soil, would be sufficient.

In this method, even the waste from livestock can be used to make fertilizer. This concept is known as “zero-waste farm”. It helps farmers to reduce their input cost and subsequently increases their profits. This type of fertilizer prevents crops from diseases rather than curing with medicines.

Benefits

The natural farming method helps farmers to fertilize their soil and produce healthier and safer products.

Sanmargam preparing a compost heap

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Chemical usage can harm the environment and caters to many negative

health impacts on livestock as well.

High-quality products could be produced by using natural farming methods. Chemical usage can harm the environment and caters to many negative health impacts on livestock as well.

Sanmargam is also actively planting jasmine using natural farming techniques. “Jasmine flowers in my farm is more fragrant and last longer,” said Sanmargam.

Gaps and Challenges

Support is needed from all parties to make natural farming a success. Proposing natural farming to farmers is not easy because most of them are hooked to their routine conventional “green revolution” farming practices – which only cater for the use of intensive synthetic chemicals for pesticide and fertilizers, mechanisation, and create greater dependence on big agribusinesses.

Despite all these benefits, unfortunately, the government is not giving enough support to natural farming. Awareness programmes have been organised to provide information on the benefit and effectiveness of natural farming to the farmers and the public. Farmers who are interested in trying out this method will be given additional training and guidance.

“In the beginning, the responses from farmers were poor. Now, many have realised the advantages of natural farming. There is an increase of natural farming practices among farmers here.” said Saraswathi.

There are many gaps and challenges preventing the farmers from practising total natural farming. Market monopoly is one of the main problems. Big companies which supply fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, seeds and

According to Sanmargam Kathiravan, a farmer who practises natural farming in Kulim, Kedah this method certainly helps him to reduce input costs. In conventional techniques, farmers need to spend a lot of money for special treatment, whereas in natural farming, livestock are resistant to flu, cough and worms.

Chemical-based farming – spraying pesticides in an oil palm estate

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other materials advocate farmers to continue using their products – and farmers have to depend on them to grow their crops. The myth of bio-technology and the hype of the ‘gene revolution’ are being pushed into the industry, and creates misconception among farmers.

Some farmers believe that chemical-based agriculture usage is the best way to gain high-quality crops. Farmers have set their mind that the ‘green’ and ‘gene’ revolutions are safe, and will make them richer but CAP is strategically demystifying these misconceptions by encouraging natural farming.

CAP has moved to the ‘ground’ and has not only championed against unsustainable agricultural practices but has proved that natural farming is the option for the betterment of the environment and also of humankind. p

Norsalila Aris is a marine research officer, policy researcher and deputy coordinator of Sahabat Alam Malaysia. She is the technical advisor for JARING and PIFWA, and a committee member of Asia Solidarity Against Industrial Aquaculture (AGAINST), and SEA Fish for Justice Network (SEA FISH).

Saraswathi monitoring efforts by the Penang Care group

CAP has proved that natural farming is the option for the betterment of the environment and also of humankind.

Women from Sekinchan involved in hands-on training

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From top: CAP staff Subba demonstrating the making of egg-lime solution; CAP’s herbal corner with a range of medicinal plants;

Sanmargam demonstrating the making of plant growth promoters

Background photo: Compost-making demonstration52

About Consumers’ Association of penang (CAp)

Objective

To ensure the right of every consumer to basic needs such as food, housing, health care, sanitation, public transport, education and a clean environment.

Core Activities• Consumerissues• Research• Educationandawarenessraising• Publications• Communitywork

Areas of Interest• Consumer/humanrights/livelihoods • Environment• Agricultureandfisheries • Health• Economic • Social

Types of ActivitiesSeminars, conferences, meetings, capacity building, training, education, publications, creating public awareness/sensitising issues of concern, research, workshops, pilot projects.

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environmental violations, and to acting as a watchdog on behalf of the authorities. However, in order to perform these functions, citizens must be allowed access to information, given clear guidelines and policies, adequately educated on how to interpret the information provided and encouraged to act independently. Being involved in such matters also bring a community or neighbourhood’s residents closer together as they have a hand in making decisions that are best for their community.

Local Agenda 21 is a means of linking local authorities with the people towards a common goal of sustainable development. In Malaysia, the United Nations Development Programme, the Housing and Local Government Ministry, and various local authorities jointly implement Local Agenda 21.

In the following article, the Environmental Protection Society Malaysia demonstrates its relentless efforts towards championing green issues, and acting as one of the government’s watchdogs on the environment.

There is no textbook or universal definition for the term ‘citizen participation’, but a simple way of explaining the concept is that it allows ordinary citizens who are not professional planners or government officials the opportunity to take part in developing, administering, and amending local comprehensive plans and regulations. It means that citizens play an active role in the planning and decision making that affects their community.

The concept of ‘citizen participation’ is contained in Principle 10 of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992, which states: “Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens at the relevant level.” Citizens need to be involved when governments fail to act, to enhance enforcement activities, or to put pressure on the relevant authorities to fulfil their responsibilities. Citizen participation also acts as a rallying point for the community to come together.

Citizen participation can vary from providing input on draft legislation, to monitoring and reporting

‘Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens at the relevant level.’ – Principle 10, Declaration of the UN Conference on Environment and Development, 1992

Citizen participation7

Citizens play an active role in the planning and decision making that affects their community.

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EPSM became the first organisation in Malaysia to campaign for the introduction of Local Agenda 21 on a comprehensive scale.

“Community-led initiatives (to develop Local Agenda 21 plans) are spearheaded by … non-governmental organisations such as the Environmental Protection Society Malaysia … The EPSM initiative comes under the aegis of its Local Communities and the Environment Programme. EPSM’s programme is designed inter alia [among other things] to ‘stimulate public concern for the state of our environment and explore ways in which a Local Agenda 21 programme can be introduced into local administration, management and activities.’” (Nordin Hasan, 1999, p. 64.)

Local Agenda 21 is an ‘action’ blueprint for sustainable development for the 21st century at the level of the local community.

EPSM’s initiative was motivated by two factors. One was the growing concern of residents’ associations (RA) on environmental issues. Having shifted from their focus on security, RAs were taking up issues related to the environment and urban governance in relation to the local authorities. RAs became ideal partners for EPSM in its campaign.

The other factor was the Malaysian government’s lack of action in implementing Local Agenda 21 on a wide scale. As a signatory to Agenda 21, adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the government was obliged, as stated in chapter 28, to make a direct call to all local governments to create their own action plans for sustainable development which would translate the principles and mandates of Agenda 21 into concrete service strategies for each local community. No efforts

The Environmental Protection Society Malaysia (EPSM) has always focused on brown issues specifically pertaining to the urban environment. Since its inception in 1974, it has continually raised concerns and conducted studies on environmental issues such as public transportation; air, water and noise pollution; solid waste management; hazardous chemicals; and urban planning.

EPSM’s thrust over more than three decades is to provide input to the government with the aim of influencing policy on the environment, to raise objections to projects which are environmentally unsound, and to develop environmental awareness of the public.

In line with the objectives, EPSM was successful in its campaign to retain Taman Negara as a national park. It also showed innovation by preparing a national urban environmental profile based on rapid urban environment assessments, called envirowalks, conducted in the capitals of every state in Malaysia.

EPSM became the first organisation in Malaysia to campaign for the

introduction of Local Agenda 21 on a comprehensive scale.

INTRODUCING lOCAl AGENDA 21 IN MAlAySIANithiyananthan Nesadurai

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What began as a community-based initiative of EPSM was transformed, within a period of four years, into a process adopted by local authorities across the country.

In addition to these seminars, EPSM also conducted a workshop on Local Agenda 21 from May 29-30, 2000, for Malaysian local communities in association with the Subang Jaya Municipal Council.

Soon after EPSM’s initiatives, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in conjunction with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (HLG), embarked on a two-year pilot project from 1999 to study the viability of implementing Local Agenda 21 in four areas within the country. Subsequently, the HLG Minister proclaimed that all 146 local authorities in Malaysia would adopt a Local Agenda 21 plan. What began as a community-based initiative of EPSM was transformed, within a period of four years, into a process adopted by local authorities across the country.

Success of local Agenda 21Impact on Municipal Council

The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (PJMC), which became Petaling Jaya City Council (PJCC) on June

were made on this directive up to 1997 – prompting EPSM to take the lead.

EPSM’s ability to undertake a campaign to introduce Local Agenda 21 in Malaysia was made possible by the financial and moral support provided by the Danish Cooperation on Environment and Development (DANCED).

With funding provided in 1997 and 1998, EPSM organised the following:

• Seminar on Local Communities and the Environment – October 25-26, 1997

• WorkshoponLocal Agenda 21 Planning – Oct. 22-23, 1998

• SecondSeminaronLocal Communities and the Environment – Oct. 24-25, 1998.

These programmes were followed by capacity-building seminars for the community:

• Protecting and Managing Fresh Water (Chapter 18 of Agenda 21) – Nov. 28, 1998

• Protecting the Atmosphere (Chap. 9) – Jan. 30, 1999

• Managing Solid Wastes (Chap. 21) – Mar. 27, 1999

• Managing Land Sustainably (Chap. 10) – June 19, 1999

• A 21st Century for All – The Role of Major Groups (Chap. 23-32 & Chap. 36) – Aug. 14, 1999

• Community-Based Process for Promoting Sustainable Development at the Local Level (Chap. 28) – Sept. 25, 1999.

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Our experience from this project was that PJMC could do so much more

pertaining to sustainable development. There was also so much to learn, relearn

and unlearn in the process.

the HLG Ministry and UNDP, the project spanned two years.

“Our experience from this project was that PJMC could do so much more pertaining to sustainable development. There was also so much to learn, relearn and unlearn in the process,” said Lee.

With PJMC’s active support for EPSM’s campaign from 1997, and the holding of a stakeholders meeting on Local Agenda 21 on Feb. 1, 2000, PJMC became the first local authority in Malaysia to implement Local Agenda 21.

Lee comments that, “This was a great achievement and a truly good experience. Other local authorities now look towards the Petaling Jaya City Council for guidance on Local Agenda 21 and sustainable development issues.

“Since the pilot project, we have continued with our work by improving our capacity-building and awareness-raising programmes, creating new partnerships with stakeholders in the community, and encouraging new and existing local sustainable development initiatives.

“Local Agenda 21 has contributed to sustainable development in Petaling Jaya and helped facilitate consultation with PJCC’s stakeholders, including residents’ associations. Most, if not all, stakeholders consider Local Agenda 21 a platform for mutual understanding, consensus building and programme implementation.”

“With regard to the future pertaining to Local Agenda 21, sustainable development will become the guiding principle in any of PJCC’s development programmes, be they social, economic or environmental. This will be the platform for stakeholders to work together, and on issues that are cross-sectoral,” declares Lee.

20, 2006, first heard about Local Agenda 21 through a seminar organised by EPSM in 1997. Then PJMC President, Dato’ Mohd Nor Bador, presented a paper

entitled Local Authority and the Community – Some Perspectives at the seminar.

In October 1998, when EPSM held the Workshop on Local Agenda 21 Planning for Malaysian communities, PJMC briefed participants on its role and activities.

Lee Lih Shyan, assistant director, Planning and Development Department, PJCC, says: “Our overall impression of the concept was that it was good. Subsequently, PJMC became supportive of EPSM’s campaign to promote Local Agenda 21. Our training room was used by EPSM to hold its six capacity-building seminars on environmental issues and sustainable development for the community from 1998 to 1999. PJMC believed in the principle of Local Agenda 21 and sustainable development. This is a must for local authorities in 21st century.”

In 1999, Petaling Jaya was selected as one of four sites in the country to test the implementation of Local Agenda 21 on a pilot project basis. Organised jointly by

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Local Agenda 21 has contributed to sustainable development in Petaling Jaya and helped facilitate consultation with PJMC’s stakeholders, including residents’ associations.

infrastructure project led the project implementer to talk to us. Subsequently, a survey of the impacts was done, and a report presented to us. Our association then asked that all residents associations in Petaling Jaya be invited for a dialogue for their concerns to be addressed.

Many other issues based on Local Agenda 21 were also brought to our attention by the legal adviser to RAs in Petaling Jaya. So, when all Petaling Jaya RAs meet to discuss issues, such as privatisation of water supply, assessment rates or construction of billboards, our inputs are based on the provisions of Local Agenda 21.

It is also heartening to note that some state assemblymen refer to directives in Local Agenda 21 when addressing issues in their constituencies.

As a result of Local Agenda 21 and our efforts, RAs in Petaling Jaya have become pioneers in effectively addressing issues of concern, and are setting examples to RAs elsewhere. We always refer them to Local Agenda 21. You guys have done a good job. p

Nithiyananthan Nesadurai is the president of the Environmental Protection Society Malaysia.

Impact on Residents

M. Paramasivam of the Residents’ Association of Section 10, Petaling Jaya, explains the implementation and impact of Local Agenda 21.

I first heard about Local Agenda 21 when I was a committee member of the Residents’ Association (RA). There was a lot of coverage in the newspapers when efforts were being made to introduce the concept.

It was only after I took office as president in 2005 that I began to make direct reference to it.

The local authority for Petaling Jaya has published a booklet on Local Agenda 21. Now, RAs use it as a reference point to raise issues with the local authority.

Local Agenda 21 involves residents, and gives us a voice to be heard. It is there to protect residents, and act as a safety net for us. It is a very good development; without it the state government and local authority would be able to just bulldoze their way on numerous projects and issues.

As a result of the principles of Local Agenda 21, we have a basis to raise issues with the local authority. Issues we were involved with include: changes to structure plans and local plans made unilaterally by the local authority; decision to allow a contractor to put-up billboards (permanent structures) near residential homes; and approved infrastructure project with an impact on traffic. All these had been approved without consulting the residents.

Local Agenda 21 is now the basis on which we lodge our complaints on developments that adversely impact the residents. For instance, our objections to the

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About the Environmental protection Society Malaysia (EpSM)

Objectives• Topreventenvironmentaldeteriorationasaresultofhumanactivities• Tocontrolhumanactivitiesthatcontributetowardsdeteriorationofour

environment• Toinitiativemeasuresfortheimprovementofourenvironment• Toincreasepublicawarenessaboutthestateoftheenvironment

Core Activities• Education and awareness raising and capacity building especially in

relationto‘sustainabledevelopment’• Issuesrelatedtourbanenvironmentandgovernance• Promotion of Local Agenda 21 with local authorities and local

communitiesthroughcapacity-buildingprogrammes• PromotionofEcologicalFootprintAnalysis

Areas of Interest• Sustainabledevelopment• Urbanenvironmentalissues• Advocacy• Climatechange

Types of Activities• Talks• Seminars• Workshops• Envirowalk-abouts

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percent of global emissions of carbon dioxide from fuel burning since 1900, yet its population of nearly 840 million faces some of the biggest risks from drought and disrupted water supplies. In stark contrast, two-thirds of the atmospheric build-up of carbon dioxide was produced by the United States and Western European countries – in almost equal proportion.

Situated near crowded river deltas and ocean fronts, the melting polar ice caps, which cause oceans and rivers to swell, displace villagers from their homes and submerge low-lying areas. While more affluent ‘developed’ countries are not spared from the rising temperatures, drought, incessant rain and flooding, they have the means to minimise these risks. However, it is not only human lives that are threatened – the existence of flora and fauna is also at stake.

The Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by 0.76 °C since 1850, and is likely to rise by a further 1.8–4.0 °C this century. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda put things in perspective when he said (as

‘Climate change’ can be defined as the variations that occur in the Earth’s global climate, or in regional climates over a period of time. It describes changes in the variability or average state of the atmosphere, and is one of the greatest environmental, social and economic threats facing our planet.

There are various reasons for changes in the Earth’s climate, including internal processes in the Earth’s core, external forces such as variations in sunlight intensity, rise in average surface temperature, and in recent years, human activities. The term ‘climate change’ often refers only to changes in modern climate, also referred to as ‘global warming’.

The potential impacts of climate change will affect some of the world’s poorest regions – many of them close to the equator – making them suffer from the consequences brought about by the world’s richest countries which have contributed most to atmospheric changes. A New York Times report published in April 2007 claims that Africa accounts for less than three

We will not solve this problem if we do not each take our share of the responsibility for tackling it. – Margaret Becket

8 The question to be asked is: What are we going to do about climate change, and how?

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Facing a Global Challenge

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Mobilising Malaysians on Climate Change (MMCC) was a project funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) from Jan 2001 to May 2005. The project was initiated by the Centre for Environment, Technology & Development, Malaysia (CETDEM) on behalf of the Malaysian Climate Change Group (MCCG). The project was aimed at motivating Malaysians to be proactive on climate change issues by enhancing their understanding and awareness of these issues. There were four outputs in this project:

(a) advocacy & awareness campaigns;

(b) expanding and sustaining MCCG;

(c) establishing partnerships with important stakeholders; and

(d) capacity building among Malaysian NGOs.

I served as chair of the Project Steering Committee, and also participated in several activities related to the four focal areas.

One of these focal areas was the promotion of awareness among all levels of people: government servants, factory operators, mass media, housewives and NGOs. The project had also organised three round tables for legislators in Penang, Kuching and Kuala Lumpur.

There were good interactions during the seminars but I was unable to find out how people continued to

reported in the New York Times): “We have a message to tell these countries: you are causing aggression to us by causing global warming. Alaska will probably become good for agriculture, Siberia will probably become good for agriculture, but where does that leave Africa?”

There is no question about whether climate change is taking place; indeed, we know it is. Rather, the question is: What are we going to do about it, and how?

The late Chow Kok Kee shares his experience in chairing the Project Steering Committee of Mobilising Malaysians on Climate Change, and drafting an action plan for Malaysia with regard to climate change.

Many people think that climate change will only occur in the next generation –

so what’s the hurry? U

SM

MOBIlISING MAlAySIANS ON ClIMATE CHANGEChow Kok Kee

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Public awareness on climate change was significantly enhanced in December 2006 when several districts in Johor were flooded for days. It was reported that the flood was linked to global warming, and was here to stay. There were a lot of discussions in the press on climate change as if doomsday was coming soon. Gurmit and I wondered why the Malaysian public needed a major disaster to raise their awareness of climate change.

The other focal activity was to expand MCCG through recruitment of interested NGOs. The project had produced seven issues of Berita Iklim (Climate Newsletter) for distribution, and several members of MCCG had attended the Conference of Parties, and meetings of Subsidiary Bodies [of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)] Over a period of 2½ years, despite several initiatives on capacity building, the project only managed to recruit one new member, i.e., Perak Consumers’ Association.

During my many years of participation in UNFCCC negotiations, I met many NGOs, mostly from developed countries. Many of these NGOs have conducted good scientific and policy research. Some of them were also involved in lobbying governments in policy measures. It was heartening to see their commitment to address the adverse impacts of climate change. Sometimes, the political negotiations would drag on throughout the night, and when we walked out of the room at dawn, many NGO members would greet us to find out the outcome of the negotiations.

I certainly do not doubt the commitment and dedication our local NGOs in their work, and I think more work should be done to recruit more members to join MCCG since the issue of climate change is real, and the roles of NGOs in climate change will continue

disseminate the knowledge they gained in the seminars. The level of participation varied from place to place. Sometimes, we were disappointed with the absence of participants who had signed up. Perhaps (then CETDEM Executive Director and MCCG Coordinator) Gurmit Singh and I were not idols from TV shows, and we were not good ‘crowd pullers’.

I realise that climate change is a dry and very scientific subject, and the impacts are not imminent. It is not like the thick haze that is visible, or the foul smell from open dumps that is irritating to us. Many people think that climate change will only occur in the next generation – so what’s the hurry?

Round tables with legislators were interesting events, particularly the one held in Kuala Lumpur. We were able to invite some 20 Members of Parliament from the Backbenchers Club and Opposition to spend two hours with us to understand climate change issues. There was no hot political debate but there was good engagement in the discussion of adverse impacts of climate change. Some MPs did ask about the government’s action on climate change in subsequent Parliament sittings. Perhaps it was one of the positive impacts of the round table.

We realised that audio-visual aids were good means to create public awareness, and produced a video CD entitled Climate Change, Malaysia & You, with narrations in Bahasa Malaysia and English. The video programme was distributed to schools, government agencies and NGOs so that it could be used for raising awareness. The video was not as good as the one starring a former US vice president, and which was nominated for an Oscar. Nevertheless, MCCG is proud of the production because it is the first-ever effort in Malaysia.

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refreshing experience for me to participate in this project. Gurmit and I share the same vision of helping the local folk to understand climate change issues, and to benefit from the UNFCCC. To the extent possible, I have always attended his seminars and forums, hoping that we would be able to find a few up-and-coming youngsters that were keen on climate change issues.

After 3½ years of participation, I realise that mobilising Malaysians on environmental issues, particularly on climate change, is a very challenging task. It was frustrating to sometimes see only half the participants turn up for meetings. However, it was really energising to see young school children who understood the climate change issue during the interactive sessions.

Public awareness is a finance-intensive ‘business’. MCCG is definitely not in a position to sustain the awareness campaign for a long time. While climate change remains a global issue, I think local actions will change our perspective, readiness and preparedness in adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change. Synergy is needed between MCCG and other members of MENGO to raise public awareness on climate change.

If the great flood of Johor does not occur the following year, many people would think that there is no more global warming or climate change. Obviously, this is not a correct assumption. The challenge remains on how to sustain public awareness on climate change. How do we tell them that we are shaping the climate now? It is time to consider climate change in all our actions now. p

Chow Kok Kee was the director-general of the Malaysian Meteorological Services. He passed away in 2009.

to be significant, both locally and internationally. It was a challenge for the project to look for partnerships with major stakeholders in the context of climate change. I admired Gurmit’s commitment in identifying potential partners, and his persistence in following up with them. I realized that it was difficult for private companies that had large emissions of greenhouse gases to be partners in climate change programmes – perhaps they do not wish to be singled out as companies responsible for global warming.

However, I think the private sector may have had a wrong conception of climate change. Ironically, the implementation of UNFCCC has brought about many technological innovations that would enhance the private sector’s competitiveness and profits – perhaps their level of awareness needs to be further enhanced.

Within a period of 3½ years, MCCG managed to secure seven memoranda of understanding with private companies, universities and a state government agency. British Petroleum Malaysia was the first partner, and several forums and seminars were jointly organised for their staff and the public.

At a seminar held in Port Dickson, a draft Malaysian Action Plan on Climate Change (MAPCC) was formulated through consultation with many stakeholders. The MAPCC contains several proposals and approaches that Malaysia could take up to address the adverse impacts of climate change, and to reduce greenhouse gases. However, due to several reasons, the MAPCC has not been considered by the National Climate Change Committee under the new Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Though I have spent more than ten years in international negotiations on climate change, it was a

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About the Centre for Environment, Technology & Development, Malaysia (CETDEM)

• RegisteredonApr.25,1985,asacompanylimitedbyguarantee,andnothavingsharecapital[Reg.No.139058-M];

• Independent, non-profit, training, research, consultancy, referral, anddevelopmentorganizationcommittedtoimprovingenvironmentalqualitythrough the appropriate use of technology and sustainable development;

• Membershipceilingof50persons,andrunbyaseven-memberBoardofDirectors;

• Offers training courses in environment, energy, technology, organicfarming, and development to business, industry, government, citizen groups and the public;

• HasapanelofMalaysianresourcepersonswithextensivetechnicalandresearchexperience toprovideexpertiseandadviceonallareasof itsconcern;

• Publishesspecificreportsandstudiesonthevariousfieldsofitsconcern;

• Operates a documentation centre,which is open toother researchersand the public;

• Appointed to the National Steering Committee of the World SolarProgrammeonFeb.28,1997;

• AppointedtotheNationalClimateCommitteein1997;

• FoundermemberoftheNationalCommitteeonOrganicFarming(October1998);

• Executivedirector appointed asmemberof the EnvironmentalQualityCouncilonApr.1,1997;

Photo Credits: BP Malaysia

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• Founder member of the Malaysian Environmental & ConservationNetwork(itssecondcoordinatorfromAugust1990toSeptember1996);

• CoordinatedtheMalaysianOrganicFarmingNetwork(MOFAN)fromMay1990toJanuary1998;

• JoinedtheMalaysianForumonAgenda 21(May2003toMay2005);

• Joinedthe InternationalForumforSustainableEnergy(Inforse) inMay1994;

• Joined the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements(IFOAM)inApril1998;

• JoinedtheSustainable&PeacefulEnergyNetwork,Asia(SPENA)inmid-1998;

• HostedtheRegionalSecretariatoftheClimateActionNetworkSoutheastAsia(CANSEA)fromJanuary1996toDecember1997,andfromJanuary2002toMay2006.

CETDEM welcomes collaboration in any form from any local or foreign interested party.

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About Malaysian Environmental NGOs (MENGO) www.mengo.org

A grouping of Malaysian environmental NGOs, called MENGO, was formed under a programme for environmental assistance to Malaysia. The programme was supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). The objective of the programme is to strengthen MENGO, and facilitate their impact on decision making at all levels of Malaysian society. One of the main strategic aims of the programme is to support and facilitate a more effective interaction on environmental policies between MENGO and the Government of Malaysia. As part of the strategy to achieve the objectives outlined in the programme for MENGO, a Cooperating Committee, and a Support Unit, as its Secretariat, were established.

MENGO comprises 20 environmental NGOs:

1. BorneoResourcesInstituteMalaysia(BRIMAS)2. Consumers’AssociationofPenang(CAP)3. CentreforEnvironment,TechnologyandDevelopmentMalaysia(CETDEM)4. CentreforEnvironmentalTechnology(CETEC)5. EnvironmentalManagementResearchAssociationofMalaysia(ENSEARCH)6. EnvironmentalProtectionSocietyMalaysia(EPSM)7. GlobalEnvironmentalCentre(GEC)8. MalaysianKarstSociety(MKS)9. MalaysianNatureSociety(MNS)10. MalaysianSocietyofMarineSciences(MSMS)11. PartnersofCommunityOrganisationsSabah(PACOS)12. SahabatAlamMalaysia(SAM)13. Socio-economicandEnvironmentalResearchInstitute(SERI)14. SustainableDevelopmentNetworkMalaysia(SUSDEN)15. TRAFFICSoutheastAsia(TRAFFIC)16. TreatEveryEnvironmentSpecialSdnBhd(TrEES)17. ThirdWorldNetwork(TWN)18. WetlandsInternational–Malaysia19. WorldWideFundforNature(WWF)–Malaysia20. WaterWatchPenang(WWP)

Taking the Green Path isacollectionofeightsuccessstories–frompolicy

interventionstocommunitymobilisation–thatemphasisetheimportance

of the people’s participatory process in environmental management and

conservation.TheseeightinnovativeinitiativesshowcaseMENGO’sefforts

toimplementsustainabledevelopmentinvariouscontexts,suchasclimate

change, waste management and heritage preservation. This book, initiated

whenthelateBishanSinghwaschairpersonofMENGO,isarichrecordof

theexperiencesandrealitiesof translating ideas intoaction inpromoting

and realising vital environmental issues, including the introduction of Local

Agenda 21 in Malaysia. MENGO hopes that Taking the Green Path will

bea significant contribution for you topursue theagendaof sustainable

development.

ISBN 978-983-44338-1-9

9 433819789834