Remarks

Slow Adoption of Biotech Crops Could Cost Malaysia

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With droughts and heavy rainfall disrupting agriculture, Malaysia’s slow uptake of biotech crops as a solution is worrying, writes science communicator Saarani Vengadesen.

AS ONE OF Southeast Asia’s agricultural powerhouses, Malaysia faces a growing challenge: how to sustain its agricultural output while protecting the environment.

With climate change affecting rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and increasing pest resistance, traditional farming practices are struggling to meet the demands of both farmers and the planet.

(Feature image: Food security needs to be bolstered with all the means available | Photo by Lee Kwai Han)

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Remarks

A Roadmap for Disaster Resilience in Malaysia

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From infrastructure to community involvement and good governance, resilience in the face of disasters must be built, writes disaster management professional Dr Sheikh Kamran Abid.

THIS November-to-December monsoon has been vicious, racking up the largest victim displacement – at least 120,000 – since the large big flood of 2014.

But Malaysia is no stranger to natural disasters. The country faces various environmental risks, from devastating floods to landslides and droughts. In recent years, the impacts of climate change have intensified these natural hazards, making it more urgent than ever to build disaster resilience.

(Feature image: As landslides and other natural disasters increase due to the climate crisis, resilience at every level needs to be built. | Screenshot from JKR Daerah Kinta Facebook )

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Insight

Banking on River Reserves to Protect Water Supply

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Selangor wants to secure its water supply with more river reserves. But will the law have teeth? And what about protecting the forests that feed the rivers?

SELANGOR residents are no strangers to frequent water cuts. They have suffered water cuts due to river pollution every year in the last decade except for 2017 and 2018, according to news reports.

Pollution in the raw water intake, particularly from illegal dumping and industrial discharge into rivers, has forced Air Selangor to shut down key treatment plants. Such disruptions severely impact the water supply for residents across Klang Valley and surrounding regions.

(Feature image: Volunteers doing their best to keep a riverbank clean in Taman Melawati, Selangor. River pollution has caused major and costly water cuts in the state. |  Photo by Chen Yih Wen)

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In-Depth

Fighting Floods with Better Drainage in Kuching

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Outdated drainage in Kuching is intensifying flash floods and leaving communities vulnerable. Infrastructure must improve, plans streamlined and solutions account for state-specific conditions.

WHEN A deluge of rain hit Kuching, Sarawak in late August, it brought back the nightmare of the flood in 2021 that left Jeremy Aaron and his family stranded for 3 days.

“The first day was very kelam-kabut (hectic),” says the resident of Kampung Tabuan Dayak. “Everyone rushed to salvage their electric items…We stayed on the second floor the whole time, and called our elderly neighbours to check on them.”

(Feature image: Drains in Kuching are woefully inadequate to cope with denser cities and extreme rainfall  |  Photo by Arieff Zafir)

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Remarks

Co-existing with the Wild in the Valley

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The Klang Valley’s rapid development threatens not only our local biodiversity but also the delicate balance required for harmonious coexistence between humans and wildlife, writes wildlife conservation advocate Ashwiini Paranjothi.

WILDLIFE IS NOT limited to distant forests; it is present in our cities, adapting to urban life as green spaces shrink. Urban forests like Bukit Kiara and Bukit Gasing in the Klang Valley are home to a variety of species that now share their habitat with humans. The increased proximity has led to more frequent interactions and, unfortunately, more conflicts.

(Feature pic: When monkeys create chaos in neighbourhoods, human patience can run thin. | photo by Animal Neighbours Project)

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In-Depth

Divers, Fishers and Scientists Map Sharks and Rays to Save Them

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Knowing where different sharks and rays reproduce, feed, hang out, and rest, is important for conservation. But it is hard to do – unless everyone joins in. Now, thanks to scientific evidence, collaboration with divers and fishers, and the mining of public data, a new atlas of these areas is sparking optimism for the threatened fishes.

Read the story here: Divers, Fishers and Scientists Map Sharks and Rays to Save Them

From Sipadan to Kuala Pahang, explore the interactive map of Malaysia’s 10 Important Shark and Ray Areas and 1 Area of Interest. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

(Photo: A newly tagged juvenile Blacktip Reef Shark is released at its initial capture site at Chagar Hutang Bay | Pic by Nicholas Tolen)

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In-Depth

The Climate-friendly Virgin in Terengganu

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Tropical peat swamp forests are key bastions in our defense against global warming. They store huge amounts of carbon in their soil, and their forests absorb more greenhouse gases than they release. 

Malaysia, like many other countries, has established regulations to stop the exploitation of peatland.

But private company Pure Green Development Sdn Bhd  is seeking to convert forests in Terengganu into oil palm. Its 2,228ha site includes 900 ha of virgin peat swamp forest. 

We look at the project’s catastrophic climate impact and ways to protect the forest.

Read our interactive story and share your thoughts with us below.

Read "The Climate-friendly Virgin in Terengganu"
In-Depth

Fixing Forest Plantations, Part 3: For Wood, Water, and Wildlife

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#LADANGHUTAN2

Fixing Forest Plantations, Part 3: For Wood, Water, and Wildlife

Despite foresters and planters promising tight regulations in Perak, locals are protesting one of the biggest forest plantations in the state over fears of water security and wildlife attacks.

Writer: YH Law; Editor: SL Wong

Published: 11 July 2024

Part 1 | Part 2

(Omar Pandak (right) telling fellow villagers of Kampung Bukit Chermin about the forest plantations coming to Kledang Saiong forest reserve in Perak. | Pic by YH Law)

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A Malaysian Environmental Journalism Site

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