Pelaksanaan pembangunan ladang monokultur dalam hutan simpanan kekal di Semenanjung Malaysia membimbangkan.
Baca Kenyataan Media dalam Bahasa Malaysia.
PRESS STATEMENT
30 June 2020
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM), Greenpeace Malaysia, Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (KUASA), Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar Sejahtera Malaysia (GRASS) and Persatuan Kesedaran dan Keadilan Iklim Malaysia (KAMY) are disheartened at the Federal Government and several State Governments’ decision to continue with the initiative and approve the implementation of developing monoculture farms (forest farms including ‘Musang King’ Durian farms) at forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia at a large scale.
This initiative encourages the development of monoculture farms in forest reserves, based on the National Wood Industry Initiative (NATIP) to support the needs of the wood-based industry in the country.
Among the states in question that are keen to implement monoculture farms in their forest reserves are Kelantan, Perak, Kedah, Pahang and Terengganu as seen in the attached document.
Implementing the development of monoculture farms in forest reserves will destroy virgin forest cover through techniques to maximise profits, which will lead to deforested areas.
SAM objects to the sanctioning of monoculture farm development in forest reserves as it will cause disruptions in natural biodiversity.
The concept of man-made farms contradict the concept of forests in terms of language and terminology. Farms are an agricultural area filled with large scale monoculture plants, while forests are naturally formed by plants and contain a high amount of live biodiversity while performing a number of important ecological functions.
We stand by the fact that the initiative, which promotes the implementation of monoculture farm development in forest reserve areas, must be abolished.
The usual justifications and main arguments held by certain State Authorities when approving monoculture farm development projects are that the areas recognised have been defined as poor forests or deteriorated forests.
However, it must be noted that certain areas in these forest reserves become poor or deteriorated forests largely due to human factors, especially intrusion and illegal exploration activities, and not natural causes.
This is further enhanced by the possible shortcomings of authorities in question, as well as the perceived lack of monitoring and enforcement to uproot these intrusions and illegal exploratory activities in forest reserve areas.
Based on previous observations and field research conducted by SAM, they found that most of the monoculture farming practices were carried out without the necessary enforcement, despite the relevant State Authority’s claims on having developed certain ‘standard and operating procedures’ and acquiring the approval of relevant authorities.
KELANTAN
The most distressing increase of land area set out for the development of monoculture farms is in the state of Kelantan.
In 2017, 169,133 hectares (ha) or equivalent to about 27% of the total Forest Reserve land area in Kelantan (standing at 613,275ha) have been approved for development as monoculture farms, especially forest farms (the Rubber species Timber Latex Clone [TLC]).
There are also ‘Musang King’ durian farms in the Kelantan Forest Reserve, for example in Balah Forest Reserve (HS Balah) that has a land area of 400ha.
We have carried out various efforts to halt the development of the monoculture farms in Kelantan’s Forest Reserve. These include:
- Presenting a letter to the Kelantan State Minister dated 25 March 2015; and
- Meeting with the Deputy State Minister, alongside representatives from the Orang Asli community, to hand over a memorandum dated 1 November 2016.
Despite these efforts we have not received a response from the State Authority.
Moreover, the State Authority is instead going ahead with plans to execute large scale developments of monoculture farms in Forest Reserve areas without heeding or adhering to criterias that have been established on the setting up of forest farms.
The lives of local communities are continually being disturbed and destroyed by companies that have been given licenses and the approval to develop monoculture farms in the Forest Reserves of Kelantan.
This is true particularly in the case of the Orang Asli community and their water catchment, housing, cemeteries, and areas for the collection of forest yields that are being destroyed by these developments.
We hope that the State Authority will consider putting a stop to, and not providing approvals or permits for the development of monoculture farms in the Forest Reserves of Kelantan.
PERAK
Several areas in Perak’s Forest Reserve identified and approved for the proposed monoculture farm development are forest farms (the Rubber species Timber Latex Clone [TLC]) and farms for ‘Musang King’ Durian.
In 2017, 56,503ha or equivalent to about 5.67% of Perak’s Forest Reserve (land area stands at 995,216ha) was approved for the development of monoculture farms, primarily forest farms (the Rubber species Timber Latex Clone [TLC]).
The area suggested is a water catchment area in the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve (HS Kledang Saiong). Whereas three areas identified in Bukit Kinta Forest Reserve (HS Bukit Kinta) and one area in Piah Forest Reserve (HS Piah) are known to be Orang Asli settlements and forest foraging areas.
These suggested areas in HS Kledang Saiong and HS Bukit Kinta are also part of the Lembah Kinta Geopark that have been marked for conservation.
The areas identified for the proposed ‘Musang King’ durian farms are located in Bintang Hijau Forest Reserve (HS Bintang Hijau) within the Bintang Hijau Range and the Belukar Semang Forest Reserve (HS Belukar Semang) that are part of the Ecology Network ‘Central Forest Spine’ (CFS) – PL 8: Kendrong Forest Reserve (HS Kendrong – HS Bintang Hijau) that should be preserved.
The Ecological Linkages (CFS) has been identified by Peninsula Malaysia’s Town and Country Planning Department (JPBD Semenanjung Malaysia), and is aimed at creating a corridor and passage for wild animals among the separate forest complexes.
Part of the area identified for the suggested ‘Musang King’ durian farms in HS Bintang Hijau, are also water catchment areas that need to be preserved.
During the meeting between the State Minister and SAM on 19 February 2020, an item on the agenda presented by SAM urges the State Authority to stop all monoculture farm developments in Forest Reserves.
KEDAH
A few areas identified in Kedah’s Forest Reserves have also been approved for monoculture farm development, namely forest farms (the Rubber species Timber Latex Clone [TLC]), and farms for ‘Musang King’ durian. These include the Gunung Inas Forest Reserve (HS Gunung Inas) and Bukit Enggang Forest Reserve (HS Bukit Enggang).
In 2017, 9,583ha that is equivalent to 2.8% of Forest Reserve land area in Kedah (standing at 341,976ha) was approved to be developed as monoculture farms, primarily forest farms (the Rubber species Timber Latex Clone [TLC]).
The Monoculture Farm Project in HS Bukit Enggang is one such monoculture farm that has raised many concerns and questions as it was implemented without any prior Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report presented or approved. All the while, the project was pushed forward by a subsidiary company of the State Government, namely the Kedah State Minister Corporation (MB Inc).
PAHANG
Pahang seems to be a state that does not take into account the areas’ sensitivities when implementing the monoculture farm developments in their forest reserves.
In 2017, 104,905ha or the equivalent of 6.72% in Pahang Forest Reserve land areas (standing at 1,558,898ha) was approved to be developed as monoculture farms, namely forest farms (the Rubber species Timber Latex Clone [TLC]).
Most of the forest reserve areas designated for the development of monoculture farms are too widespread as it ranges from more than 1,000ha up to more than 9,000ha.
For example, two monoculture farm development projects in Lesung Forest Reserve (HS Lesung) alone measure to about 9,946 ha (Blok C) and around 9,988 ha (Blok B).
Approval of forest reserve areas for the implementation of wide scale monoculture farm development such as this would surely give rise to profound effects on the ecosystem and environment, in addition to significant impacts on the lives of the surrounding local community, such as Orang Asli, as well as the habitats and roaming areas of wild animals.
The development of monoculture farms in Pahang’s Forest Reserves are no only carried out in the CFS forest complex, but also in the forest reserves that are separated from CFS forest complex, such as in Jengka Forest Reserve (HS Jengka) that is an area of about 1,648.12ha.
TERENGGANU
Terengganu is another such state that seemingly disregards the sensitivities inherent in certain areas during the implementation of monoculture farms in its forest reserves.
In 2017, 36,899ha or the equivalent of 0.7% of the Terengganu’s Forest Reserve land areas (standing at 542,411ha) was approved to be developed as monoculture farms, forest farms (the Rubber species Timber Latex Clone [TLC]) in particular.
However, the main subject of concern occurred in 2019 when the State Authority expanded the monoculture farm development area to about 5,000ha in Jerangau Forest Reserve (HS Jerangau) alone.
HS Jerangau is an area known to be one of the only habitats and roaming areas of the Malayan Tiger located in the east coast, as well as several other wild animal species.
HS Jerangau is also part of the CFS – PL Ecological Linkages that is meant to be designated for preservation with the main purpose of guaranteeing the continuation of the CFS corridor’s functions.
Furthermore, HS Jerangau abounds with a variant of commercially rich tree species, some of which are listed under the Red List of ‘International Union for Conservation of Nature’ (IUCN).
Until now, all pleas to stop the implementation of monoculture farms in Forest Reserves presented to the State Authority of Kelantan and Perak, as well as the Director of Peninsula Malaysia Forestry during a discussion with non governmental agencies (NGOs) on 26 May 2017, have been ignored.
The initiative that encourages the monoculture farm development in Forest Reserves must once again be refined with the main aim of preserving Forest Reserves and removing it as an option for the development of monoculture farms.
We also hope that the State Authorities and any other related authorities adhere to and utilise the proposed physical plans, primarily relating to the National Physical Plan (RFN), State Structural Plan (RSN), CFS Master Plan and other initiatives / policies that are connected, while also tightening the enforcement of current laws.
The situation we are in is particularly alarming as the world is facing a climate crisis that has caused extreme weather changes in Malaysia such as prolonged droughts and high-intensity rainfall that has already led to increasing destruction and risks.
Environmental-based solutions such as forest protection and recovery can account for more than one-third of the amount of climate change mitigation needed by 2030 to keep global temperatures below 2˚C. To achieve Malaysia’s commitments in the Bonn Challenge (2011) and the New York Forest Declaration (2014) on restoring around 350 million hectares of deforested areas by 2030, Malaysia should make Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) a primary focus for the reduction of carbon emissions in the forest landscape, while at the same time improving ecosystems, communities and low-carbon and climate-resilient economies.
Forests reduce carbon emissions every 20-30 years. Immediate forest protection has the same importance as launching renewable energy initiatives namely; in assisting the country’s enhanced NDC commitments to maintain global warming at 1.5°C.
Transformations in the management of forest reserves can serve as a model for new developments in indigenous peoples and rights sphere, while at the same time placing Malaysia in a prime position regionally as green leaders during our post Covid-19 recovery.
Joint statement from:
SAHABAT ALAM MALAYSIA (SAM)
GREENPEACE MALAYSIA
PERSATUAN AKTIVIS SAHABAT ALAM (KUASA)
PERTUBUHAN ALAM SEKITAR SEJAHTERA MALAYSIA (GRASS)
PERSATUAN KESEDARAN DAN KEADILAN IKLIM MALAYSIA (KAMY)